The Paths We Take
by WolfCross
Summary: Every marker has a choice. Every choice sets a whole new adventure for us to travel. That is what Jaune is to expect as a single question will send him on many different paths each with its own outcome, with love, loss, and victory that comes from a hero's journey. To think that all this would come from a simple question. Who'll come with him on a mission?
1. Prologue 1: Ozpin

Jaune was nervous.

How could he not be? Every time he had envisioned going to Ozpin's office for a private appointment, in the morning no less, his fake transcripts always came to mind. A sickening feeling burrowed deep in his gut as he sat outside of the office door, drenched in sweat. What if Ozpin had found out? What if the cops were just outside, ready to take him into prison, where he would no doubt be torn apart? He gulped at the thought. His nerves were running high. He could only hope they didn't find out. He paid all the lien he had just to get them.

The door swung open. Jaune yelped involuntarily, his heart skipping a beat and his body stiffening up like a board. Out of the door came the she-dragon of a woman herself, Glynda Goodwitch, staring at him impassively, completely undisturbed by the young man's behavior.

"Mr. Ozpin will see you now." She said.

Jaune nodded stiffly, slowly arose from his seat, and walked slowly into the room, as if he were willingly walking into his own casket. Inside was Ozpin, sitting at his desk of which was coated with papers and files, a steaming coffee mug in hand and his stoic eyes piercing through Jaune's psyche like a spear. After several moments of just standing silently, Professor Ozpin gestured towards the seat, looking expectantly at Jaune. Shivering despite the fearful heat in his body, he sat down, burying himself into the seat.

Well, there were no cops or Atlas military men here, so that was a good sign.

Ozpin's eyebrow rose. "Are you okay, young man?" He asked. "You look as white as a sheet." Jaune didn't respond initially, completely at a loss for words. His stoic gaze returned, albeit darker this time. "If I didn't' know better, I would assume you had something to hide."

"N-no sir!" Jaune said immediately, his voice cracking.

"Then you've nothing to fear. Ease up Mr. Arc. If your back stays that stiff you'll never bend it again." Ozpin said, smiling pleasantly at the young man.

Upon hearing those words, Jaune sighed in relief, his relaxing into the seat. His heart slowed down, along with his erratic breathing. He hadn't found out, thank Oum. His secret was safe for another day. Though that did still raise a question.

"Why did you call me in here?" Jaune asked.

"Well, about that." Ozpin started, taking a quick sip of his coffee. "Do you remember when you had first arrived at Beacon?" Jaune openly cringed. Of course he did. How could he forget? A lot had passed during the many months he had lived there, though that still didn't change how truly terribly he started. For the first two months, he hadn't accumulated a single win. His lack of combat skills and experience should have been obvious, though he had somehow managed to scrape past by the skin of his teeth thanks to the kindness of his partner.

"What about it?"

"Do you recall the missions you've gone through?"

Which one? Jaune nearly cringed again, remembering the many missions that he had gone through with Team JNPR. Like the time that they were being sent to investigate several sightings of Ursa Majors in a small village just outside of Vale. He volunteered to be used as bait to get them out of the cave… only to run out of the cave, screaming like a five year old girl when he saw the Ursa. Or was he talking about the time that one of Jaune's more brilliant ideas of letting Nora disguise him to get Grimm out into a clearing. Being Nora, she went overboard. He ended up in a chicken costume covered in steak sauce, and forced to run up a tree by the amount of hungry Beowulves chasing him.

He _still_ reeked of it. And that was almost a month ago.

All in all, his records weren't the best in the school. Ozpin must have finally noticed it too. The whipping of paper broke the silence as said principle opened one of the files, and began rummaging through one of the papers, stopping at a particular piece of which he gazed at carefully. After a few minutes, the older man spoke.

"Your cumulative record as a member of Team JNPR is exemplary with quite a high rate of success during missions. The average grade point for your team is very good as well. Though there is one black sheep among the flock here." Ozpin eyed Jaune, of whom was sinking further and further into his chair.

"Um… would that be me, sir?" Jaune asked meekly.

"Indeed it would be." Ozpin confirmed, taking another quick sip of his coffee. "I don't suppose you know why?"

"Because I'm just that good?" Jaune asked nervously, trying to lighten the mood.

"Amusing." Ozpin said in a complete monotone, his face remaining its daunting stoic posture. "No. Let me put this simply. While your team record is exceptionally high, your personal scores are not. In fact, I'd wager to say you're one of the lowest grading students I've seen in quite some time. You far from meet the standards in any category. Your grades are mediocre at best with your partners grades pulling your weight out of obscurity. Your combat skill, aura control, and even your lack of Semblance makes it clear that you may not be cut out for this."

Each word was hammered viciously into his heart. Fear and guilt were slowly being overpowered by shame, which burned brightly in his face. Had he really been riding on his teams coattails? How had he not known? Had they known? Oh who was he kidding? Of course they knew. They were just too kind to point it out.

"My position and my brain are telling me to expel you right now, however, that is not what I am going to do."

Jaune's head jolted up, his passive gaze widened. "What? Seriously?"

"Indeed." Opzin said. "If I haven't told you enough times already, if there is one thing I can't stand in this world, its wasted potential, and in no way is that more apparent than in you." The man closed his eyes in thought, silence permeating the air once more. Jaune waited in complete anticipation, shivering like a baby dear, eyes staring and unblinking. "In accordance to this, I have devised a singular mission for you to do. If you pass, it will raise you to the point of our standards. If you fail, you will be expelled. Simple as that."

"A mission?" Jaune asked, pushing himself forward slightly in his seat. "Where? When? What do you want me to do?"

"Patience, Mr. Arc." Ozpin said. Jaune did as such, waiting for an answer. "I will give you the mission details a week from now. In that time, you will acquire a partner to help you. Whom you choose is up to you."

"Okay." Jaune said, biting his lip. "Is that it?"

Indeed it is, Mr. Arc. Remember. One week. You will return in my office at this very hour, with another in tow. Failure to appear will result in immediate expulsion. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes sir." Jaune replied, barely believing his luck.

"Good. Then you may go."

Hastily, Jaune rose out of the seat, and rushed out of the door, nearly slamming the door on his foot in the process. The lockers became large blurs as he raced down the empty hallway, not caring about his loud footsteps, or the pounding in his own heart. As he reached the door to Team JNPR's room, his hand grazed the door handle, only to freeze at the last second. Why was he hesitating? This was his room after all. Though the cold sweat, and colored-drained skin told him otherwise.

He sighed. Forget it. He'll bother his team some other time. Sullenly, he trudged his way down the hall once more until he entered the combat arena. Crocea Mors wasn't with him, and neither was his shield. He had left them in his room, and he didn't have the heart or patience to collect them. He hoisted himself onto the cold, hard desk surface, and laid back, groaning pathetically to himself. He knew he would get in trouble if he were caught lying on the desks in such a rude manner by miss Goodwitch, but he truly didn't care. No one would be up this early in the morning to reprimand him.

Alone time was just what he needed.

Staring at the ceiling, he pondered his predicament. While sure it wasn't anything near as serious as he had once suspected, that didn't change the fact that he was in quite a bad spot. What Ozpin had in store for him was anyone's guess. A flurry of emotions spiraled around his system, making his nerves run high. Fear, anxiety, anticipation, and, oddest of all, a wish to prove himself. While most of him quivered with fear at the prospects of his own real life mission against the dangers of the world, he couldn't shake that feeling of euphoria welling inside.

This was his chance.

A chance to show everyone that Jaune Arc truly is a hero.

But he couldn't do it now, as he was. No matter what kind of tough grit you have, it meant nothing if you didn't have the skill or power to back it up. He needed to train. Train harder than he had ever trained before. He was sure his team would help him, and the members of their sister team RWBY had implied that they would be glad to help him. They would be able to help with certain increments that they themselves were talented with.

Ruby, of course, was very fast on her feet. She would help him boost his own hopefully. Yang could improve his durability, Ren with aura control, and Pyrrha with skill. With their added skills, who knew, he might just pull this off. Nodding to himself, freshly determined, he forced himself off of the hard surface, pushed open the door, and ran through the halls once more, ready for whatever they had to offer.

* * *

 _ **Alright, this is a bit overdue. Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it, so I just wanted to say first, STOP VOTING! The voting polls are done, and I don't want anymore votes! Please start reviewing the chapters as chapters. Thank you for your time, and enjoy the story!**_


	2. Prologue 2: Training day!

The explanation had gone very well and went by very quickly. It had taken quite a bit of deliberation at first, but the members of each team gradually accepted to task of training Jaune. The terms were simple. Every day at six PM sharp, he would meet with whomever was training him that day in the Arena for their own special quality training. The only issue would have been their school work. Luckily, it was Saturday, and the workload wasn't as stiff as usual. Even so, Jaune had to haul ass to make it to the arena before his partner for the day had arrived.

When Jaune had arrived, he was surprised to see that Ren had stepped up the plate as Jaune's first teacher. The young man was meditating in the center of the stage on a large black mat. A cacophony of different essences, some good, some bad, invading his nostrils. The silence was oddly inviting, and very becoming of the situation. He could see why the young ninja enjoyed it so much. A little quiet away from the obnoxiousness of his own life seemed like just what the doctor ordered.

"How can you deal with that smell?" Jaune asked, crossing his arms and smiling at his brother in arms.

"You'd be surprised how easy it is to get used to it." Ren replied calmly, opening his eyes and smiling back at the blonde. "Welcome. Glad you could make it."

"So where do we start?"

"Right here." Ren gestured to a select portion of the large mat. "Sit in your most comfortable position." Jaune did was he was told, sitting cross legged on the mat next to Ren. "Our training tonight is going to be very simple."

"Obviously, if we're going to be sitting here all night." Jaune joked, earning at least a smirk out of the ninja.

"Were going to be training your aura control and manifestation. This method of such is a very successful means of doing so quickly. You can do so on your own at any time, so this should be the only time we meet. Unless you'd want to stick around with me once and a while."

"Okay, how am I gonna do this?" Jaune asked, surprised at the amount of speech coming from his lazy friend.

"Like I said once before. Simple." Ren stated matter-o-factually. "All you have to do is close your eyes, and focus on your aura and your breathing." The young ninja closed his eyes, and let out a content sigh. Jaune followed suit, shutting his eyes, and closed off the rest of the world. He kept his breathing steady and maintain a good rhythm, taking Ren's advice and focusing on it. A light feeling surged around him, bathing him in a warm glow. An unknown amount of time surged by. A half an hour, maybe an hour tops? Jaune's limbs were growing stiff and very numb.

"How are you feeling, Jaune?" Ren asked.

"Feeling? I can't feel anything." Jaune said, groaning over the pins and needles in his limbs.

Ren sighed. "First times not always the best time, I suppose."

"You don't say."

"Even so, continue to focus on your aura. You were doing well. I could feel an excess amount of aura from you. Now let's try again. Focus on your extremities."

"I'll get back to you on that the next time I feel them."

This time, he earned a small chuckle out of the boy. "You're just full of jokes today."

"Someone's gotta tell them. I'll lose my mind if I can't laugh at least something."

"Fair enough. Now continue on."

And so the boys continued their meditation. While he was still having a tremendous amount of difficulty getting feeling back to his lower limbs, he could at least feel the warmth of his own aura flowing into them, making them thicken and strengthen. He pushed his aura across his body, feeling that familiar warm glow consume once again. He forced that feeling throughout his entire body, letting it spread and lengthen. The feeling grew hotter and hotter. His body shook. He wanted to stop as he felt his insides begin to overheat, yet his trancelike state prevented it. It wasn't until his felt a sharp tug on his shoulder that he came back to the world and opened his eyes.

"Ease up on the aura." Ren said, concerned. "You were overheating. You don't have enough control to have it manifest like that. You could kill yourself doing that."

"Really?" Jaune asked, strangely mentally exhausted. "You could've warned me ahead of time."

"Do you really think I can go through my entire aura maintaining routine and explanation in a single night?" Ren said lamely. "All the same, I figured this would occur. You should drink this." Jaune instantly shivered. Those four words should never come out of that boys mouth with the amount of weird concoctions that boy comes up with. He pulled a canteen out of his pocket, and handed it to the blonde. Reluctantly, he pulled the cap off, and instantly recoiled at the smell.

Honestly! What on Remnant did that boy put in his drinks?

Jaune looked at the boy pleadingly, only to meet Ren's stoic gaze that said _you asked for this._

 _Well, you get what you asked for._

Jaune took a deep breath, pressed the canteen against his lips pinched the bridge of his nose, and let the oddly green, pulpy liquid slide down his throat. He gulped it down hastily, and then tore it away from his mouth as if it burned him. His face scrunched. He nearly gagged. Whatever liquid that was, it tasted disgusting!

"Wh-wha… What was that stuff?" Jaune said, his voice sounded like he was underwater.

"Just a mixture of different herbs found around here and there. It's meant to stabilize your aura. Looks like its already working and-" Ren trailed off as he stared at the young blondes face. "Jaune, are you okay?

 _Ulp!_

"Jaune, answer me. Are you feeling alright?

 _Urrrrgghghg…_

Ren's face blanched. He knew that face. Faster than a bullet, he raced down to the edge of the room, picked up the trashcan and attempted to run back to Jaune before it was too late.

Unfortunately, it was.

 _BLAAAAARPH!_

"Jaune!"

* * *

Luckily for them, Ms. Goodwitch had taken pity on the two boys for soiling the floors of her classroom with Jaune's lunch. After they managed to clean not only the first load, but the second after Jaune's traditional second wave of nausea, Ren apologized, and helped him back to their room, where he actually got a good night sleep. It was odd how much aura training and meditating could exhaust someone, though he woke up feeling much fresher than yesterday. The day wasn't spent doing much except for shadow fencing, pushups, and lots of mouthwash. Though despite the practical river he swished around his mouth, he still couldn't get the horrid taste out.

As soon six PM neared, Jaune raced to the training room, this time passing by Ms. Goodwitch in the process. To his discomfort, she glared at him.

"I would appreciate that you don't make a mess this time." She said curtly.

Jaune gulped. "Yes ma'am."

With that, she stalked off, muttering angrily to herself. Jaune walked into the combat hall, once again surprised to see the young huntress in training Ruby, sitting in one of the seats, polishing her weapon with a bright smile on her face.

"Hey Ruby." Jaune greeted.

"Oh Jaune!" Ruby gasped, focusing on the blonde. "You're early!"

"Yeah, I just wanted to get this done." Jaune said, nervously running his hand through his hair. While it was nothing against her, he was especially nervous of being taught by her. Not because she was a bad hunter or warrior, far from that. It was that she was completely inexperienced in the ways of teaching. Unlike Yang, who had much more experience than her, or Pyrrha, who was much more naturally talented, Ruby started Beacon sooner than everyone else, meaning she had yet to experience the teaching skills needed.

Though he wasn't going to say that to her face.

"Alright, let's get started!" She chirped excitedly.

Before Jaune could draw his weapon, or let a word out for that matter, the cold steel barrel of Crescent Rose was pressed against his head. The sharp crack of gunfire echoed through the empty room. Jaune did not know how, or why. Maybe it was his sharp reaction speed that he didn't know he had, or his instincts, or maybe just dumb luck, but he had managed to duck down the moment the bullet shot forth from the rifle. He back up fast, drawing his sword and releasing his shield, panic and shock etched on his face.

"What the _heck,_ Ruby!" Jaune shouted.

Ruby blinked confusedly. "I said let's get started. I thought you were ready."

"I don't even have my sword out! What said I was ready?"

"You just dodged my bullet, didn't you? So I'd assume you're ready."

Jaune groaned. Damn this girl's innocence. She was so naïve of a situation, yet she was too cute to be mad at. What on Remnant was he supposed to feel? He supposed that was just part of her charm, of which he had come to appreciate.

"Well, I'm ready now. How're we gonna do this?"

Ruby's gaze shifted upwards, as if in thought. "I dunno." Jaune rolled his eyes. Of course she didn't think ahead when she agreed to this.

"How about you… shoot at me or something. That should work." Jaune said, instantly cupping his own mouth in shock. Did he really just say that? Did he really just suggest to Ruby Rose to go all out, guns ablaze on him?

Was he insane?

Ruby's face lit up. "That sounds awesome! Can you keep up?" Against his better judgment, Jaune nodded slowly, his sweat-laden smile quivering slightly. "Great, think fast!"

 _Shit!_

That was Jaune's first and only that as the young reaper quickdrew her rifle, and fired off a round directly at Jaune's chestpiece. The blonde reacted accordingly, raising his shield just in time to block the blow, making the bullet ricochet into one of the seats. The moment it struck, the seat was reduced to splinters. Jaune gawked at it.

Oh lord Oum above, she's going to kill him!

The 'training' continued on for several hours, with Jaune blocking, dodging and deflecting any rounds that came his way. Ruby bounced and flew through the air as a black and red blur, filling the room with roses with every passing movement, stopping every so often in mid-air to shoot another round at Jaune. Every now and again, she'd draw in for a close combat strike, only to be met with Jaune's trusty shield and carefully planned counter ready.

His aura training had actually done him some good, even if it was only one day. Before the day was over, he had said that in combat, remember the feeling of meditation and it will help you. He felt a kind of odd familiarity with the snow white glow, a warmth if you will, that he spread carefully around his body. That same sensation that he felt yesterday manifested itself around him, strengthening his body, sharpening his mind, and making him fully aware of the young huntress' presence, despite her blinding speed. One particular round had been unleashed from behind him. With a loud grunt, he pivoted on his heal, raised Crocea Mors, and struck down, cutting the round cleanly in half, the two separate halves striking the floor.

Jaune stood there for a moment, caught in a complete daze.

Did he just do that?

Deep in his thoughts, he didn't notice the red blur slamming headfirst into his chestpiece, forcing him off his feet, and making him land painfully on his back. Ruby straddled him, leaning down, hands pressed against his chestpiece, grinning down from ear to ear.

"That was amazing!" She squealed. "How could you keep up like that?"

"I… I-I have no idea." He stuttered, completely flustered due to his current situation. Does she know how she's sitting?

"You were like _zoom,_ and _slash_ and the way you cut the bullet was so awesome! You're really getting better Jaune!" She shifted excitedly over him. Something oddly warm brushed just below his chestpiece. Small waves of electricity flew though him, making him feel restless and fidgety.

"Ruby, for the love of Oum, please stop moving, or your gonna-" Before he could say anymore, the door burst open, and to his horror, Yang, Nora, and Ren walked in, chattering.

"Hey, Ruby I just wanted to see how the trainings going, and-" Yang trailed off, her eyes widening, mouth agape. Ren went similarly silent, though he had his brow raised in surprise. Nora giggled, practically bouncing on her heels.

"Ooh! They're about to do the dirty!" She said excitedly.

 _Thanks Nora. Way to add fuel to the fire!_ He thought savagely. As if things couldn't get any worse.

Another movement made another wave of electricity fly rapidly through Jaune's body.

No…

No!

Body, don't betray me now! Anytime but now!

Ruby suddenly gasped, her body stiffening. She looked down at him in surprise.

"Um, Jaune? Something's… poking me." She said, head cocked.

 _Ruby, nooooooooo!_

Yang's eyebrow twitched. Jaune gulped, drenched in cold sweat. Nora's giggles turned into a full blow laugh with her hanging on Ren's shoulder for support. Ren closed his eyes. He couldn't look at the damage that his brother in arms was about to receive. Then suddenly, to his surprise, Yang smiled her usual bright smile, though it was somewhat strained and unfocused, with her eyes strangely widened.

It was the demon smile!

"Hey, Nora, since were both as of now training him tomorrow, were going to play a game." Yang said, slinging an arm over the Viking girl. "Have you ever heard of the game whack-a-mole?"

Needless to say, Jaune didn't sleep well that night. With one eye open at all times, it was hard to relax. He felt he would be insane to even think about relaxing. Classes passed unnaturally fast. It seemed even time was against him. He could make the excuse that homework bogged him down, but they were with him in the class too. They weren't assigned anything and neither was he. Plus, even if he did, Yang would kick the door down and drag him out kicking and screaming.

Reluctantly, he walked to the combat hall, focusing his aura ahead of time. As soon as he opened the door, was met with two burning red eyes that made his heart stop.

"You know, on second thought, I think that Pyrrha is calling me, I think we can continue this later." Jaune said nervously only for the door to slam behind him. _Oh no…_

"Glad you could make it." Yang said. The room strangely began to heat up. "Let's get started." Nora sprang next to her side, hammer and a mischievous grin at the ready. He was left wondering what he had done to make her betray him.

And thus the game of Whack-a-Jaune began.

After the regular few hours passed. Jaune had discovered three things. One was that durability and stamina were definitely his best strong suits. He proved that he could indeed take fists that would make semi-trucks blush. Two, never touch Ruby in front of her. It will guarantee at least one kick to your nards. The last and definitely most important, if you want a quicker death, take an accidental strike at Yang, and take out a hair or two.

Armor truly is an Oum-send.

He trudged back to his dorm room, tired and slightly broken, welcoming his soft bed, not wanting to get up, not even bothering to remove his armor, clothes or even his shoes. He figured Yang had unleashed the majority of her anger, so he was safe for now. He only half-heartedly hope that Ruby wouldn't do that again, though some part of him disagreed. Luckily for him, the mental conflict wasn't enough to make ward off his sleep. As the alarm fired off, he roared in frustration and nearly crushed it. He really wanted a few more winks, but the teachers wouldn't show an ounce of pity on him, no matter how lazy he wanted to be.

Classes once again passed by like blurs, and surprisingly, so did the next few days and sessions. Training with Pyrrha seemed like a regular thing, with her disarming and knocking him into the ground every five minutes, and his training with Weiss was her trying to teach her how to use dust effectively. It resulted with him literally getting blown through the doors and into the halls, with Nora on the floor laughing.

"I told you not to mix those too together!" Weiss reprimanded. Jaune only groaned in reply.

The day was fast approaching, and he had run out of willing training partners. Blake wasn't willing as she didn't know him well enough to teach him. He wasn't that bothered for those same reasons.

Soon Friday night rolled by. He walked the halls along that night, with the time fast approaching for Jaune to find a partner and present him or her to Ozpin. He was completely at a miss on who to choose from. He adored Ruby, Yang was exceptionally reliable in terms of combat, Weiss was smart, and Ren was extremely patient and wise.

A familiar prickling filled him. Was he being watched? He thought he was alone, though he could feel eyes on him. He turned and saw a young women who looked slightly too old to be a student, staring at him. Her dark hair was somewhat short, her bangs going along her eyes. Her red dress and pretty features led him to believe she was a powerful woman, or at least a woman of high class, like Winter or Weiss.

"Can I help you?" Jaune asked.

"No." She said simply. He felt oddly wary of the aura she presented. It was an aura of dominance. Of power. "Though maybe I can help you."

"Help me?" Jaune asked, confused. "How?"

"You will find out soon. Just know that when are deepest in that pit of despair, look for the name Cinder, and she'll make it all go away." With that, she walked off, leaving Jaune confused. He cast it aside though, and sat down in the middle of the hall, staring blankly at the lockers.

Just who would he bring?

* * *

 ** _VOTING POLLS ARE DONE! NO MORE VOTING! The list of the routes are in order on the next chapter. Please review the chapters as chapters. Thanks for reading, and enjoy._**


	3. Chapter 1: A Harsh Farewell (Ruby Route)

_**Hello everybody! Well, if you read the chapter title, you probably know who won first vote. Overall from the reviews, the private messages, and the talks with my friends at school, Ruby one the most votes. In fact, after tallying votes, I got this order...**_

 _ **Ruby.**_

 ** _Weiss._**

 ** _Blake._**

 ** _Pyrrha_**

 ** _Cinder._**

 ** _Ren._**

 ** _Yang._**

 ** _And a whole lot of random additions. I am considering giving a section where Qrow is sent out, but thats for another time. Now, we begin with the most requested route! Hope you enjoy! PLEASE REVIEW!_**

* * *

 _Who the hell do I bring?_

That one question still rang high in his mind. Nightfall had just crawled over the skies, filling the halls with darkness. It was supposed to be lights out at this time, but Jaune couldn't bring himself to rise up and go back to his dorm. Tomorrow was coming fast, and he was kicking himself for not asking anyone prior. It could have saved him a lot of hassle, though he was boggled on who to ask. He couldn't exactly guarantee an absolute yes.

Then his mind drifted to Ruby. The way she presented herself showed a constant support to him. She was kind, helpful, charismatic, and innocent to a point. The childlike reaper was someone he could rely on, someone who would give her life for him and vice versa. Her combat skills were impeccable, something he had been reminded of constantly. She was the most likely person who would say yes to this. No. He hoped she would say yes to this. And what about Yang for that matter. He was practically asking to be left alone with her younger sister for at least two days. Asking for that kind of trust from an overprotective beast like her was the equivalent of asking for a lion's cub right in front of the lioness. But all the same, he had to try. This was his own life at stake here.

With an affirmed nod, he stood up and walked down the hall to the door of Team RWBY. It was just before lights out, so they would most likely still be up. He raised his fist over the door, ready to knock, but he froze in place. He took a deep breath, then rapped the door rather harder than intended.

"Who is it?" Yang called aggressively from inside. Jaune flinched. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to start asking for help at this time of night.

"Um… it's Jaune, could I come in? Jaune asked nervously.

Yang opened the door by a crack. She glared at him, probably still fuming over the incident that had happened with Ruby… and her hair. "What do you want?"

"Uh, I need some help. Can I come in?" He asked again. She continued to glare at him, though she relented and opened the door fully and stepped aside to let him pass. "Thanks."

"Hey Jaune!" Ruby greeted, her bright smile easing him. He gave a nervous wave before stepping into the room, heart pounding. All of the team was in their pajamas. Weiss was studying as expected, scribbling the material onto the page quickly and quietly. She was so buried into her studies that she hadn't noticed him coming in. Blake definitely noticed, though it didn't seem like she cared. She had propped herself on her bed, refusing to take her eyes off of her book. Ruby was polishing Crescent Rose, smiling gleefully at him.

A powerful hand seized his face and wrenched it to face Yang's glaring crimson eyes. "You never did answer me. What do you want?" Jaune gulped. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. What do you expect when you're literally staring in the eyes of a powerful she-dragon? "Well?"

"I-I-I need a partner!" Jaune squeaked.

Yang's eyebrow rose. "Explain, Vomit boy."

"Well, for the mission tomorrow, I really need a partner. Otherwise I can't do it. And…" Jaune trailed off. Was he really about to ask for Ruby's help in front of Yang? Even if Ruby said yes, Jaune could guarantee that he would be blown clear to the shattered moon and back. He didn't really like the prospect of terminal velocity very much.

"And?" Yang asked, impatience dripping from her tone.

"And I… was wondering if…" He drifted off into a pile of mutters.

"What?" mumbled some unintelligible. "Excuse me?" He mumbled again. Yang growled at him, close to fully losing her patience with the young hero. Jaune flinched as a literal spark flickered around her yellow mane. "English, Jaune! Do you speak it?"

"Y-yes ma'am!"

"Then you better damn well speak it!"

"I want to take Ruby with me!"

Three very dangerous things dwarfed the room at this very moment. One was the thick, static silence that fell over the inhabitants of the room. Second was the electrified tension that shook Jaune to his core. The third was something that terrified him the most. A blazing heart emanated not two inches in front of him. It looked like he had struck a nerve. And it may be too late to remedy it. He cringed when he looked at Yang. Sparks occurred frequently around her mane. Her crimson eyes glowed brightly with anger.

"Okay." Yang said, her voice oddly calm. "Just so I get this right, you want to take my sister out on a two man mission, alone, _knowing_ the shit you pulled last Sunday?" Jaune didn't dare say a word. He was walking on an eggshell-thick glass floor, so he didn't want to make a misstep, or he may just drop six feet under. "And you think I'd say yes to this?"

"I-I hoped you would at least." Jaune croaked. "Plus you know that was an accident, right?"

"What was an accident?" Ruby asked, cocking her head to the side rather adorably.

Almost immediately, Yang's anger faded, shifting right into caring sister mode, straight with kind eyes, and a welcome hug. Although, Jaune wouldn't call that hugging. He'd say that she was trying to smother Ruby between her rather large breasts. "Nothing my pure Ruby, just an evil man wanting to corrupt you and take your nip your pure rose."

Jaune didn't even bother dignifying that with a response.

"I'm not here for anyone's 'rose'. I'm just here to get a partner. If she'll let me." Jaune said, sighing.

"Of course she won-"

At that moment, Ruby burst out of her sister's mounds, gasping for air. Red faced, and panting, she muttered bitterly, "Never… again…" After catching her breath, she continued. "Of course I'll go with you."

Yang's anger sparked up again in an instant, though this time, to Jaune's surprise, Blake saved him. "Yang, I know she's your sister, and she's still young, but this is her decision. If she wants to help Jaune, then let her. She knows what to do and what not to do by now, right? And so does Jaune. I'm sure he'd never pull something like that on her."

"He just did!" Yang shouted, "Not just a few days ago!"

"I still don't get it. What did he do that was so bad?" Ruby asked.

Yang glared at Jaune, pointed subtly just below his waist, and did a crushing motion with her hand.. He gulped. "Not a word, Arc." She hissed for only him to hear. Ruby kept on asking until she eventually gave up, sitting back onto her bed.

"So, where are we going? And when?" She asked.

"I dunno." Jaune replied. "Ozpin never told me. All he said was that I gotta be at his office tomorrow morning with a partner. I don't know what to expect."

"Oh that's not suspicious or anything." Yang growled.

"Yang, behave." Blake warned. Yang muttered curses under her breath, but didn't say anything more.

"Well, if that's all, won't you be leaving?" Weiss asked. Typical. The first words she has said to him all day, and it was just a passive aggressive kick out of her room. Jaune rolled his eyes, and nodded.

"Alright, I'll be back in the morning. Thanks and goodnight." Jaune said. Blake and Ruby said the same, with Ruby smiling. Weiss ignored him, obviously. He didn't stick around for whatever Yang was going to do or say. When he grabbed the doorknob, he felt a collection of lace and softness. He gulped once again, recognizing the familiar feel. You could never forget it when you've lived with seven sisters for your entire life. What the hell was this doing on a doorknob though? He dared a gaze down. The lace was red. It was obvious who's it was.

"Something wrong, Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Um…" Well, no use hiding it. "I think that… these are yours." He said nervously, holding between his two fingers a pair of surprisingly thin panties. Ruby stared at them for a moment, and then her face went a deep crimson. She gave an embarrassed whimper before snatching the panties out of his hands, racing to her bed, and burrowing under the sheets. Jaune knew what was coming now. He could already feel the burning heat at the back of his neck. He yanked the door open, rushed out, and slammed the door behind him. Just as he did, he heard a loud scream, and the sound of something shattering against the wooden door.

Jaune sighed in relief. Not only did he avoid death, and pain for the remainder of the night…. maybe, but he also had a partner to help him during the mission. With Ruby's help, he just may make it through this after all. He stretched and walked down the hall, and into his own room. Nora was already asleep, thank Oum, and Pyrrha was still in the bathroom. Ren was sitting propped up against his beds headboard, reading a book. Since they were all doing their own things, Jaune decided that now was the time to get some sleep. He stripped off his armor, and removed his hoodie. He crashed down onto his bed, set his alarm, and let a dreamless sleep take over him.

When he woke up again, he was slightly surprised that it wasn't caused by the rapid beeping of his alarm. He actually didn't know what time it was. The room was still, so it must've still been late. Slowly, he pulled himself out of bed and walked towards the window, where outside, the sky was lit up in a bright array of red and orange. The sun must've just been rising. He sighed and returned to bed, but found himself unable to sleep.

So much was going through his head. Nerves and anxiety gripped him and refused to let go. He couldn't even close his eyes anymore. His alarm clock read 5:42. In not even twenty minutes, he would have to present himself to Ozpin for what would seem like his first real mission. This mission could make or break him. This was his last chance. Either he succeeds, and continues on his path to being a successful hunter and hero, or he fails, and goes back home, never wanting to look anyone in the eye again.

In the words of Ozpin, "It's that simple."

Deciding that he wouldn't' accomplish anything just laying there, aimlessly, he pulled himself back out of bed, and got dressed in his normal orange shirt, hoodie, and jeans. He clipped on his chestpiece, put one his armor, and placed Crocea Mors at his side, resting in its sheath. Quickly and quietly, he walked to the door, said a silent goodbye to his still sleeping friends, and closed the door. He made his way to Team RWBY's room, and knocked.

When no one answered, he decided to be a bit bolder. "Um, Ruby?" He said, nervously, knocking slightly louder on the door. "It's Jaune; it's time to head out."

A muffled moan came through the door, as well as the rustling of clothing. The door creaked open slowly. To his surprise, Blake had opened the door, wearing her black yukata, glaring at the boy. He couldn't blame her. He would be pissed if someone had woke him up at nearly six in the morning on a weekend.

"G-good morning." Jaune started.

"What do you want?" Blake asked flatly.

"Um, the mission…" Jaune stuttered, trying to get a proper word out. Blake stared hard at him until she sighed, softening her expression.

"I forgot about that mission of yours." She said, brushing her hair back. "You need her this early?"

"Yeah. I don't know why though. I didn't want to ask."

"Figures." Blake muttered. "You're lucky she decided to dress early."

Jaune's eyes widened in surprise. "She's ready? I thought she was still asleep."

"Yes, she's ready but…" She opened the door more, giving him access to the room. Everyone was still asleep, including, Ruby herself. She lay on her bed, dressed and ready, clutching Crescent Rose like a child, her cheek pressed against the metal, and her small limbs wrapped around the base. Jaune couldn't help but find this adorable. He always figured Ruby for the cuddly type.

"Good luck getting her out of here." Blake said, climbing back up to her bed.

"Wait, you're not going to help me?" Jaune asked. But to his exasperation, she had already gone back to sleep. He sighed, and walked over to Ruby's sleeping form. Okay, how to do this now…

"Ruby, it's about that time, wake up." Jaune said. She didn't respond. "It's time to get up, let's go." This time, he did get a response. It was a tiny, cute moan. Jaune gulped, his throat getting dry. He didn't want to raise his voice, lest he wake anyone up. He knew he wasn't in Yang's good books right now regarding Ruby, so he didn't like the idea of accidently waking her up and getting punched to the shattered moon and back.

Jaune softly grabbed her shoulder, and shook her, calling her name again. Another moan, though this time, he thought she said something. After another shake, and another moan, the words came out clearer.

"Carry me."

Jaune stopped dead in his tracks. "What?

"Carry me." She sounded like a child demanding to be picked up. He saw her eyes scrunch, and her cheeks puff out in her sleep. Blood rushed to Jaune's face. That was just too adorable.

"Do I really have to?" Jaune asked. Another childish moan. "Fine. How do you want me to do it." Suddenly, she sprang from her bed, and wrapped her tiny frame onto Jaune's back. Jaune cried out in surprise, then slammed his own hand onto his mouth, drenched in cold sweat, staring at the other sleeping teammates. Blake was staring at him, no doubt angry to be woken up for a second time, though after seeing his predicament, decided to show mercy onto him. Weiss hadn't moved an inch, though, to Jaune's horror, Yang stirred, groaning.

Jaune froze. He knew how the situation looked. The moment she woke up, seeing her sleeping younger sister on the back of a teenage boy, about to leave for days on end, he knew that he would be giving the walls a fresh coat of red. She shifted, each movement shaking Jaune to the core, rolling over onto her side, facing away from Jaune.

He sighed in relief. He would live today.

"Don't worry, I'll tell them where Ruby is. And that she'll be safe with you." Blake said rather sleepily.

"Thanks." Jaune said, smiling at her.

She nodded to him, and went back to sleep.

Carefully, he carried both Ruby on his back and Crescent Rose over his shoulder, and slowly inched out of the room. He nudged the door shut with his foot, and walked down the hall, heading to Ozpin's office. While on his way, Ruby's head dipped forward, moaning quietly in her sleep. She buried herself into the crook of his neck, her hot breath creeping on Jaune's sensitive area, or what his little sister would call, his sweet spot. He shivered. She tightened her grip on his body, pressing her curves into his own back. He was almost disappointed that he was in his armor.

What was she doing? Was she doing this on purpose?

By the time he had made it to Ozpin's office, and knocked, she had practically drooled down his neck, her sleeping lips pressed against the flesh. When Ozpin opened the door, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Well this is rather unorthodox." He said. _Speak for yourself._ Jaune thought, savagely. "Do you need help?" He asked.

Jaune shook his head. "No, just tell me what I have to do."

"Straight to the point? Good." Ozpin cleared his throat, and took a sip of his usual coffee before continuing. "I want you to take a look at that map behind you." Jaune did as he was told, and looked at the large map of the kingdom of Vale.

"What about it, sir?" Jaune asked.

Ozpin politely brushed past Jaune, and pointed at a secluded looking forest section quite a ways outside of the city. "Here is a collection of small villages. In these villages lies a single piece of ore made to make some of our most effective weaponry. If I'm not mistaken, it is the metal that Ms. Nikos's weapon is made out of. You are to investigate the area, and acquire this material. Once it has been brought to me, you will have succeeded in your mission."

"That's it?" Jaune asked, rather surprised. "Just bring the rock to you?"

"Indeed. You have three days. Once the stone has been brought to me through any means, you will have succeeded. That is all." Ozpin narrowed his eyes at the blonde. "I trust that you will succeed, Mr. Arc."

"Yes sir." Jaune said, nodding affirmatively.

Ozpin spared a glance at Ruby, gripping the door. "I think that she is happy that you chose her. See that she remains so." Jaune gave him a confused look. The older man chuckled, wished Jaune well, and shut the door behind him.

The journey to the airstrip was difficult in of itself early in the morning, but carrying a young reaper and her massive weapon only added to the trouble. While she was light, her weapon was far from so. It was like was carrying his father's sword back at home, when he was still a toddler. It must have taken a surprising amount of aura just to use it. Another thing that attributed to the prodigious nature of the young girl. Jaune was happy that she decided to go with him.

Once they reached the Bullhead, the gate opened, letting them in. He put Ruby onto the small row of chairs, missing her contact. When he put her down, she reached out, wontedly. Rolling his eyes, he placed Crescent Rose next to her, to which she took it and cuddled it. Before he could ask for the takeoff, he felt a strong feminine hand on his shoulder, nearly crushing it through the plating. He looked back, and his blood ran cold.

A red eyed Yang Xaio-Long stared back at him.

"Um, hi Yang… what are you doing here?" Jaune asked nervously.

"Don't talk, scrawny, just listen." She growled. "You are to do nothing but the mission. No detours, no sidequests, and no sharing rooms. If you dare touch her, I will kill you. If you hurt her, I'll kill you. And… if you try anything smooth on her…" Her hand rushed below his armor, and gripped something that Jaune had once dubbed Jaune Jr. He cried out in surprise, and shivered in fear. "Then I will do something much, _much_ worse than kill you. Clear?"

"Chrystal." Jaune whimpered. Was it just him, or did his voice rise an octave or two? "P-please let go." She grunted angrily at him, but complied, letting go of the Arc family jewels.

"Remember, Arc." She said, viciously before stepping off the airstrip. Jaune wasted no time.

"Take-off. Take-off now!" Jaune shouted. Almost instantly the door closed, and Jaune was left alone with Ruby and his thoughts. He sighed in relief. The worst was over, and he had an easy mission to go to. This should be over in no time.

Though is stomach begged to differ.

"Oh, no." A familiar feeling rose in his gut. He forgot to take his motion-sickness pills.

And now he was going to pay the price…


	4. Chapter 2: Vicious start (Ruby Route)

The journey to the mission site had not been very kind to Jaune. He had spent the majority of the time emptying his stomach into any random trash bin he could find. While it was uncomfortable, he had gotten used to the burning in his throat, and the emptiness of his stomach. Every time, he would just trudge back to the row of chairs, near where the sleeping for of Ruby was, and flop down on the floor beside her. He was amazed that she was still asleep, curled up, pressing her weapon tightly against her tiny body.

Jaune smiled at her. She was just too adorable. He brushed a stray hair from her bangs out of her face, delicately enough not to stir her. Tilting his head away, he gazed at the small TV screen, waiting for it to shift to from the news to their current location. They had been traveling now for nearly three hours. Ruby showed no signs of waking up soon, and he didn't have to heart to wake her up, leaving him bored. Ozpin did mention that the trip wasn't supposed to take that long, though it felt like they had spent an eternity here.

The vibration of his scroll took his attention off of his sickness and boredom. He took it out, and gazed at the bright screen, staring at the long text he had received from Ozpin.

 _You should be arriving shortly to your location. I will remind you that you only have three days to complete this mission. Bring the ore back to me through any means, and you will pass. Ask the locals for information if you deem it necessary. This is your mission. I advise you not to rely solely on Ruby Rose. We will know if you do. See that she isn't hurt. I don't want you to come back and face Ms. Xaio-long and her father. I prefer my students in one piece._

 _Best of luck_

Jaune sighed, closing his scroll and shoving it back into his pocket. Reading through the text had reminded him. His investigation and detection skills weren't what people would call good. In fact, they were downright terrible at times. He never knew which questions to ask, or where to even start searching for things. This mission was going to be a hell-scape waiting to happen. Jaune jumped as a small hand smack limply against the back side of his head, accompanied by a small moan.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked sleepily.

"Ruby, good morning." Jaune croaked, tilting his head towards her.

She moaned in response. He almost laughed at the young girl's expression. Her eyes weren't fully open, and her mouth was slightly open, a small trail of drool pouring from her mouth. The Crescent Rose was halfway off the bench, with her no longer gripping it. She lay on her side, towards Jaune's direction.

"When the heck did you get to sleep?" Jaune asked, amused.

"Um, I don't know. It was getting a little brighter in my room though, before you came." Ruby said, each word slurring slightly.

Jaune rolled his eyes. She must have gotten so excited about the mission that she stayed up for the entire night. It wouldn't have been the first time this happened.

"Why are you on the floor?" Ruby asked.

"Well, you were sleeping, and kinda taking a few seats, so I decided to stay here." Jaune stated, rubbing the back of his head. That was a half-truth if he had ever made one. Ruby barely took up two and a half of the seats. She just looked so cute that he didn't want to wake her up, but there was no way in hell that he would tell her that.

"Jaune, get up here."

"Hmm?"

"I said get up here." Jaune actually chuckled this time. She tried sounding fierce and firm with her childlike tone of voice, though it clearly wasn't working. It

"Fine." He said, slowly getting up and brushing off the nausea in his system. He slumped down onto the seat and leaned his head back. He heard a slight amount of shuffling, and nearly jumped when Ruby's head plopped onto his shoulder. "Ruby, what are you doing?" He asked.

"You're warm." She said sleepily. "Much warmer than the seats." Unknowingly, she nuzzled her face deeper into the crook of his neck. Jaune's face burned.

"R-ruby, do you mind not doing that?" Jaune asked sheepishly.

"No. You're warm." She said promptly. To prove her point, she buried herself deeper into his neck. He could smell an incredibly sweet fragrance emanating from her. The smell of sweet roses, and delicious strawberries. He gulped.

"Ruby, please get off." Jaune said feebly, though he wasn't sure if she heard him. He could barely here himself after that weak attempt of speech. For a moment, she was silent. She didn't even give a childish moan in response. "Ruby? Uh, Ruby?"

Jaune looked down to see that Ruby had gone back to sleep. It was at this moment that he found himself in quite a pickle. Jaune didn't want to move in case he gave off any wrong messages, and he didn't want to forcibly wake her up either. That would just be rude of him. The best thing for him to do was to wait it out until the end of the trip. Hopefully she would be up by then. Though Jaune would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying this. Maybe it was the closeness and tenderness that she was showing him, or maybe this was just what he needed. A cuddle. Someone to be near so he think more productively.

Or it could be both. Knowing this girl, it could be just that. He looked down on her and smiled.

Maybe she could stay on his shoulder for just a bit longer…

* * *

"Attention passengers. We will be arriving to our destination shortly." The loud blaring intercom fired into Jaune's ear, startling him awake. He wasn't even aware that he had fallen asleep. Looking to the side, he saw that Ruby was still buried in the crook of his neck. He smiled down on her, though his smile vanished as he remembered what the woman on the intercom said. As if on cue, the airship descended, wrenching out what was left in his stomach.

"Oh, shit." Jaune groaned. Bile rose in his throat. He rushed to the trashcan and barfed out his guts. A small whoosh echoed out from behind him, and his blonde locks were pulled gently back. After he was done, he turned and saw Ruby looking down on him in concern. She was holding his hair back. "Thanks Rubes. You're such a big help."

"No problem." She said, smiling.

"Looks like we're landing. You're all set?"

"Uh huh!"

"Great." Jaune spat what remained of the disgusting sludge into the trashcan, and stood, wiping his mouth. He stumbled over to the door, struggling through the constant waves of nausea, and leaned on the cool metal wall. Any second now…

As soon as the airship landed, Jaune rushed out, happy that his feet were touching solid ground. They had landed in the middle of the forest, in a large clearing, probably just a mile away from the villages. Jaune glanced cautiously over the forest, taking in every detail, and mapping out their location. The long walk wouldn't be the problem. It was the Grimm that he was worried about. The forest was a prime spot for them to gather, and the last thing he needed at this moment was a fight on his hands.

"So, do you know where were going?" Ruby asked, stepping off the airship next to him.

"Uh… no." Jaune replied honestly.

"Oh, well okay, let's take this slow and look at the map." Nodding, Jaune unwound the paper map a little tough roughly. A loud rip sounded as the paper split into two pieces, with a few scraps drifting towards the ground. He groaned loudly, slapping his own forehead. Ruby looked at him sympathetically. "It's okay Jaune; we can put it back together."

Jaune nodded, and tried his best to piece together the map, pinching the borders between his fingers. After a few minutes of confusion, he managed to scrape together a feasible direction. He pulled a compass out of his pocket and decided on a hopefully right direction. "Let's try… this way." Jaune walked through a thistle into the forest, Ruby following suit.

"Hey, Jaune?" Ruby asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Did I do anything to you when I was asleep?" Jaune was quite taken aback, unsure of what to say. Of course she had done weird things in her sleep. The red spots on his neck were a testament to that. Though he wasn't sure he wanted to tell her that, but he didn't want to lie to her either. So he settled for stalling.

"Uh, what would constitute to you as weird?" Jaune asked sheepishly.

"Well," She shifted slightly, unable to meet his eyes. "From what Yang told me, I tend to get cuddly with whatever's near me when I sleep. I was wondering if I did that to you or not?" Jaune ran a hand through his hair. Well, he might as well tell her. Even so, the least he could do was bunch his shoulder up a little so she wouldn't see the red spots she left in the crook of his neck.

"Yeah, you kinda did."

"Oh." Ruby's eyes went wide, and downcasted, her face flushed red. "I'm so sorry, Jaune. I didn't mean to do that."

"Its fine, don't worry." Jaune said, waving it off.

"Not really, I mean if Yang found out, you- Jaune, why are you so tense?" She asked, cocking her head.

"Nothing, just… nervous from the mission."

"Then why is only one shoulder tensed?"

"Um… nervous twitch?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Nice try, Jaune, what are you hiding from me?" Before he could even answer, Ruby had hopped onto his back, and wrenched his shoulder down, eyes widening once again in surprise. "I-is that…"

"Yeah."

"Did I…"

"Yep."

"Oh Oum." She gasped, dropping off of his shoulders. "Yang's gonna kill us."

"Wrong. She's gonna kill you. I'm gonna have something much worse happen to me." Jaune lamented. _Oh Jaune Jr. I'm sorry I failed you._

"Can you hide those from her?"

"I sure hope so."

After a few minutes of wandering, they spotted a few buildings and houses that poked over the horizon. It wasn't a very large town, probably just a little bit bigger than the one he came from, and it looked very peaceful.

"So were supposed to look for some kind of rock?" Ruby asked.

"Yep, for the most part."

"Where are we supposed to start?"

"Well… I think we should asking people questions."

That did seem like the best option, though they both knew they weren't the most social people in the world. Anytime they would ask a person in the middle of town, or in a store a question regarding what they were looking for, they would stutter and couldn't get a word out in edgewise. The people had more trouble translating what they were saying that trying to answer the questions. The answers weren't very much help either. They ranged from 'I don't know' to 'Screw off my property, kids', and others were a little less than helpful. It seemed that only the older folk remotely knew what they were talking about, and even then, they still weren't much help.

Sundown was approaching, and the people in the town were going into their homes for the night. Getting anymore answers would have to wait until morning. Dejectedly, they asked their last person, getting the same answer they had been getting all day, and asked for if there was an inn nearby. There wasn't one in this town, though there was one in the next town over which was just a short walk away from here. They both walked reluctantly walked into the forest, taking in every sound carefully.

"Do you think it's a good idea to travel out here at night?" Ruby whispered.

"Nope." Jaune whispered back, his head jerking to every crackle on the ground or whistle in the trees.

"You think we should head back? Maybe camp out in that small park we passed by?" Ruby suggested.

Jaune shook his head. "Were already halfway out of town. Going back would be a complete waste of time. Plus do you really want to go back the way we came?"

"Yeah, I suppose your right."

A louder than usual crack sounded. Jaune swore and jolted into that general direction. Silence. Jaune was already coated in a nervous sweat. Then a steady drum along the dirt. What was that sound. Footsteps? A sound of heavy boots clomping madly against the dirt, not even bothering with stealth anymore.

"Do you hear that?" Jaune hissed.

"How can I not? Get ready." Jaune unsheathed his sword, and held it in proper formation. Ruby's Crescent Rose went into scythe mode, and stood behind him, back to back. They waited patiently, unmoving and ready.

"W-who's there?" Jaune demanded.

Steadily, large figures pushed out of thistle and stood in front of them. Three people dressed in haphazardly placed armor, overly large weapons and glinting smirks. Bandits.

"Good evening." The one in the middle said, his voice oddly cool and smooth as butter. "I don't have much time here so I'll be brief. Give me your weapons, your armor, and your money, and I'll let you go safely. I'll even keep the Grimm away from you on your way to town." Jaune didn't move. He could barely breathe. He had fought many Grimm before and downed them as quickly as they came, but these were warriors. Most likely skilled if their willingly mugging two obvious hunters-in-training, armed and possessing aura. Jaune brushed Ruby's shoulder, ready to pick her up and book it, but he was stopped by an outburst.

"Like hell you're gonna take my baby away from me!" Ruby shouted, cradling the scythe.

"Ruby, now's not the best time." Jaune hissed.

"You should agree with your boyfriend, little miss." The leading bandit said. "Were not what you would call pushovers. We were trained hunters you know." Jaune gulped.

"I don't care, get back or get shot!" Ruby growled, glaring daggers at the bandits.

The leader scoffed. "Suit yourself." He gestured to the two other, larger brutish looking men, and pointed his finger towards Ruby. "Get her weapon. Give it to me. I don't care what you have to do to get it." He ordered rather lazily. They both charged, one wielding a large club, and the other with a claymore. Ruby shoved Jaune out the way, parried one man's club and flipping over the other and hopping off the back of his head.

"Ruby!" Jaune shouted. He rushed in to slash at the sword-bearers back, though he was blocked and parried by the leader's tomahawk, of which appeared out of nowhere.

"I don't think so, Blondie." The leader said callously, narrowing his eyes on the boy. "I gave you an out, and you threw it right back in my face. Now you're going to pay the price."

"Don't' worry 'bout me, Jaune. Take care of the leader! I'll take these guys." Ruby yelled, simultaneously watching and fighting both of the men at once. Jaune clicked his tongue, now replacing his fear with annoyance.

Jaune pushed back the leader, and released his shield, clipping it to his arm. They both traded blows, their blades sparking and clashing in midair, barely pushing the other back. While it was clear that the leader was much more skilled than Jaune, it was difficult for him to contend with not only the boy's better defense, but superior physical attributes. The bandit swung in a wide arc, and slammed against Jaune's shield. Jaune worked his sword under the blade of the tomahawk, and pushed the blade upwards, pulling the weapon out of the bandit's hand.

"Damn you, you little pest." The bandit grunted. He ducked down and scraped dirt up, covering him up in a small wall of smoke. Jaune stood at the ready, watching for any streak or shimmer of a weapon. Though to his surprise, there was the loud crack of a gunshot, and something small splitting the smoke. Instinctively, he raised his shield, and blocked the bullet. Two more were fired at Jaune only to be stopped by his shield. A boot came from the dirt cloud and scythed across the side of his shield, knocking it aside. Once again, he fired, though Ruby's training had definitely paid off as he parried it away with his sword.

"Is that all you've got?" Jaune taunted.

"Of course not." The bandit said, smirking. He fired his presumable last bullet at Jaune, which was also parried away. The bandit moved in, and whipped his hand out, dragging something across his shoulder. Jaune cried out as a sharp pain enveloped it, and back away. He clutched his shoulder, spotting the trickle of blood pouring from it.

How did he do that? Jaune's aura should have protected him from the knife. If anything else it would have just cut through his clothes, but the man had breached his aura somehow.

Knowing he had to end this fast, he put his shield back into his sheath form, and clutched Crocea Mors hilt with both hands. Whatever was on that dagger, it was something that he didn't want touching him again. He took a deep breath, surged forward, pivoted on his heel, and swung in a wide arc, twisting his entire body behind the blow. The blow struck harder than Jaune ever thought it would. Not only did he break through the man's thin dagger, he caused a large sway in the trees and in the grass from the shock of his strike. The man looked at him in shock as if staring at him for the first time.

"I think it's time for you to leave." Jaune said, putting his best brave face on.

The man glared at him, but took a step back. "Fine. I'll take the hint and clear off." He whistled loudly, and his two companions, bruised and bloodied by the young reaper, limped back to him. "C'mon. time to go home. Oh, and you may want to look after those wounds. Both of you." And they stalked away.

At the mention of the possible wounds, Jaune twisted over to Ruby, drenched in cold sweat. "Ruby, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied, rubbing the back of her hand. "Just got a little cut. But what about your wound?" Ruby looked at his shoulder wound, paling a little. It appeared the wound looked worse than he thought.

Jaune smirked grimly. "Like you said, just a cut."

"That's a bit more than a cut, Jaune."

"We'll worry about that later. Let's hurry up and wrap these wounds before the Grimm show up."

* * *

Jaune and Ruby arrived at town rather late, annoying the innkeeper when they asked to stay for a few nights. After they gave quite a bit of extra lien, it gave them one of the more luxurious rooms that they had to offer. The only issue was that it only had one bed. When they entered, Ruby turned to him and grinned. While he did think it was quit, remembrance of Yang's last words fired into his mind. If he did this now, he would find his head stuck on a pike when he returned.

"I'll take the floor."

"Are you su-"

"I'll take the floor." Jaune said firmly. "I'll be fine, it's just a floor." He threw his rucksack onto the corner, and sat down promptly next to it. Ruby looked like she was going to argue, but the moment she laid onto the bed, her exhaustion took her over and she mumbled a quick goodnight before she fell asleep.

Jaune leaned back, bracing his arms behind his head, and stared at the wooden ceiling. Today had been a bust, though it had been only the first day. They were in a completely new town, and it looked bigger than the other. The chances of getting the answers they were looking for was much higher here.

The mission wasn't over yet.

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading! Sorry for anyone who was disappointed with the order, but then again, the votes have it! I hope you're liking the story so far. PLEASE REVIEW!**_


	5. Chapter 3: Weight of Pride (Ruby Route)

**_Alright guys, before we begin, I want to get something off my chest. Please stop voting now. The polls ended last chapter. I want people to start review the chapters themselves, and not place anymore votes it. Thank you._**

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* * *

A large amount of stinging in Jaune's shoulder made Jaune shoot up from the floor, hissing in pain. His hand went to his shoulder, felt an odd amount of warmth, and pulled back to see his hand stained crimson. After a short spell of panic, Jaune remembered the night prior and nearly slapped himself after remembering how that gash had appeared on him in the first place. He was so tired last night that he had left it untreated to get sleep. In hindsight, that probably wasn't the best idea.

He stood up, resisting the urge to stretch. He looked over to Ruby to see her stretching, just waking up. "Good morning, Jaune." She said with a yawn.

"Morning Rubes." Jaune said, waving to her. The instant he moved his arm, a searing pain fired through it, making him wince. Ruby looked at him, cockeyed and confused.

"Bad sleep?" She asked.

"I wouldn't say that, I just woke up funny." Jaune replied. To prove this, he wheeled his shoulder and arm around, ignoring the burning pain to the best of his ability. "See? I'm all good." Ruby kept gazing confusedly at him, though shrugged and moved on to the bathroom to freshen up.

Jaune sighed, rubbing his injured shoulder. He knew it was a bad idea to prolong this kind of injury and not tell Ruby about it, but if he did, she would insist on not only treating it herself, but keeping them from going out until Jaune recovered. Normally, he'd be fine with this, but the time crunch that Ozpin had established put him in quite a bind that he couldn't work around. Any wasted time could be a huge detriment to him right now. Besides, his aura could heal this wound later.

Even so, he shook and shivered. The heat from his wound replaced itself with a shivering chill that spread across his body like a plague. He suddenly felt very weak, and feeble, making him lean against the wall for more support. Slowly, he slid down the wall, dragging a thin trail of blood down the wooden wall. Jaune swore sullenly. Now he would somehow have to keep that hidden from Ruby. He listened closely, and heard running water in the bathroom. Ruby must've been taking a shower. Good. He needed time to clean up.

"Hey, Rubes!" Jaune shouted through the door. "I'm heading out to find a bathroom. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Why don't you just use the one here? I can leave in a few minutes, or you just do it now while I'm in here. There are blinds you know." Ruby called back. Jaune gulped. The idea of going into the room while Ruby was currently naked under a hot spray with nothing separating them but a thin wet sheet seemed rather appealing but hazardous to his health. Yang and her father would really be having his ass on a plate after that.

"No, I'll find somewhere else. It's still kinda early, so we can take our time." Jaune said rather quickly. Of course, taking his time was the last thing on Jaune's mind at the moment. "I'll be back in about fifteen minutes. See ya." Before Ruby could question him further, he raced out of the door, slamming it shut behind him. He tried to run out of the building, though a sudden burst of chills and shivers halted him, bringing him to a knee near the front door.

He sighed. There was no getting out of it. The chills, the shivers, and the searing pain had to stop before he could perform the mission. And he had only fifteen minutes to do it. He walked over to the front desk, and nervously asked the manager, "Hey, do you have a first aid kit that I can use?"

"Oh yes, of course." The man said, reaching under the desk and pulling out a green box. He gave Jaune the box and told him where the bathroom was. After thanking the man, he made his way there. Instantly, with great effort, he stripped off his hoodie and tank top and immediately paled when he saw the gash. While it wasn't very big, only stretching from near his armpit, to the tip of his shoulder, it certainly wasn't shallow. He could almost kick himself for not treating this sooner.

After disinfecting the wound, and wrapping it, the pain lessoned, but the chill just wouldn't stop. It was like an itch that he couldn't scratch. He decided to ignore it, and check back with Ruby. When he arrived to their room, Ruby was already dressed and ready, although her hair was still wet. When she saw him, she beamed.

"You're ready to go?" She asked.

"Yup. Just gimme a sec." Carefully, he picked up his armor and equipped it. The feeling of the cold, rough metal against his poorly bandaged wound forced hisses of pain out of him, though he made sure that Ruby didn't here. They needed to get going. Jaune had much worse wounds before, so he could suck it up and continue on. After clipping Crocea Mors to his waist, he walked to the door and gestured for Ruby to follow.

After checking out of the inn and leaving, Jaune tried thinking of where he wanted to ask first. The inn keeper didn't know anything about the ore, and neither did anyone in the inn. He was about to ask Ruby for a suggestion until by Ruby's loud squealing.

"Jaune! Jaune! Look!" She shouted excitedly, practically bouncing on her heels.

"Wh-what is it, Ruby?" Jaune croaked.

Gleefully, she pointed towards a local weapons store. It was nothing fancy, though it seemed to send Ruby over the fractured moon. "C'mon! Let's go in."

Jaune bit his lip. "I don't think that's a good idea. We are kinda pressed for time you know."

"I'll only take a few minutes. Please?" She said, giving him a her signature puppy dog eyes. Try as he did to stay composed, he felt it crack and crumble staring into her doe-like silver eyes that seemed to have droplets of tears at the seams. Reluctantly, he took a glance at his scroll. It was still morning. He sighed. While he was very wary about going off track, maybe spending a few minutes in a store wouldn't take too long.

"Alright, fine. But not too long, 'kay?" Jaune said. Ruby cheered, and dragged Jaune in by the arm excitedly. His injured arm no less. He should earn a metal for bearing that much pain and not reacting. Yang would have been proud. The very second they got to the door, Ruby let go and ran off to some section of the store, checking out the merchandise. Jaune had a feeling he wasn't going to see her again for quite a while. He leaned against the wall, staring out the open window, tapping his foot when the shop keeper tapped his uninjured shoulder.

"Is there something you would like, young man?" He asked.

"Uh, no. I'm just waiting for someone to finish looking." Jaune answered, running a hand through his golden locks. "Actually, do you know where I could find this special ore? No one else seems to know."

To Jaune's disappointment, the shopkeeper shook his head. "Can't say that I do. I don't know much about rocks and stuff like that. However, I do have this." He reached in into the drawer of the counter and pulled out a bundled up mess of paper. Carelessly, he began shuffling through the papers, tossing them over his shoulder or in any random direction. One particularly pointed one ended up in Jaune's eye, to his great luck. He swore quietly, rubbing it until the man finally found the paper he was looking for. "This is it." He said assuredly.

"What is it?" Jaune asked.

"Just a map." The man said simply. Jaune nearly sighed. They still had a map, or, what was left of one. The shopkeeper must've sensed Jaune's apprehension, because he quickly added, "Mind you, it's a different kind of map. You have your directions, you compass, all that jazz, but there's something different about this one."

Jaune took the map and looked through it. While true that it looked different, it seemed more or less the same, except with a different color scheme. "How is this supposed to be different?" Jaune asked.

"Well, take a look at some of the outer areas here." He said, pointing around the grey, jagged areas of the map. "It's supposed to judge the mountain elevation and terrain. The darkened areas are where some sorts of gems can be found." Instantly, Jaune's heart skipped a beat, and excitement fire through him like a bullet.

"How much is it?" Jaune asked without hesitation.

"Oh, interested now, eh? Starting cost is five lien."

"I'll take it." Jaune said, flashing the lien cards. They exchanged, and Jaune examined the map. It seemed that the town was surrounded by a circle of cliffs. The shades were at their darkest around the west and north ends of the map. That left two good places to explore, and hopefully come up with what they were looking for. Satisfied, he put the map into his pocket, and went back to the wall, waiting for Ruby to finish.

The minutes passed by, and Jaune was becoming more painfully aware of the pain of his wound. Maybe he should swallow his pride and finally just give some more attention to it. It wasn't like they didn't have the entirety of the day to explore the mountainsides. Luckily for him, it didn't hurt nearly as much as before, though it was itching a lot more. While it was annoying, he was happy to feel it as it was a sign that it was closing and healing on its own. Thank Oum for aura.

Though there was that chill again. He shivered where he stood, cold seeping through his body and spreading like a plague. Trying to shake it off was almost impossible. What was causing this? His wound was healing, wasn't it? He hadn't lost much blood, and the wound hadn't been infected, so what was going on?

"Jaune, I'm finished!" Ruby chirped, presenting two shopping bags. "You won't believe the stuff they have here. Everything I'm looking was looking for!" He took a peek inside of the bags, and drew back, rather surprised at the quantity.

"That's quite a lot of stuff. You're planning on making something?" Jaune asked.

"Actually, yes I am." Ruby replied. Oddly enough, Ruby's voice was shaky and nervous, and she refused to meet Jaune's eye. "Did you find anything you wanted?" Jaune's brow rose. Ruby normally wasn't the type to change the subject. He decided to leave it be for the time being and show her the map.

"We have a view of the mountain terrain now. These darker shades are where certain kinds of gems can be found. Hopefully, the one were looking for is there too." Jaune said, tapping the mentioned areas.

"Then we know where were going now?"

"For the most part." Another wave of chills brushed through him, this time nearly forcing him to the floor. Ruby caught him by the shoulder before he could hit the floor.

"Jaune, are you okay?" Ruby asked fearfully.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just had a dizzy spell." Jaune replied reassuringly.

"Dizzy spell my foot, you're burning up, and you're so pale."

"Just nerves. Don't worry, I'm fine."

"But-"

"We have to go, Rubes. We'll talk about this later." Jaune said firmly. Ruby stared at him for a moment, then reluctantly nodded.

It wasn't until they had left the village, and arrived at the edge of the forest that Jaune realized that they hadn't had breakfast. His stomach growled uncontrollably, and louder than a wolf's. Ruby cracked up every time his stomach growled, saying it sounded like an angry dragon. Jaune laughed with her, although red in the face from embarrassment. "You try doing a mission with nothing in your stomach but a stale candy bar."

"I have a few strawberries in my bag if you want some?" Ruby said.

"Actually, can I have some of your cookies?" Jaune asked.

"Ask me that again, and I'll eat you instead." Ruby retorted. Jaune snickered at her threat. How can she hope to sound threatening with a voice like that? It was so cute!

"Noted. I'll take the strawberries though." She took a small bundle of paper out of her bag, and handed it to Jaune. He opened it up and took a bite out of the strawberry inside. "Thanks, Rubes."

"No problem." She replied.

As they walked, Jaune felt an odd semblance of curiosity. "Hey, Ruby."

"Yeah?"

"Why were you so ready to help me?"

Ruby looked slightly taken aback, staring at him oddly. Silence fell over the two of them, and Jaune could practically see the gears and cogs turning in Ruby's head, thinking of something to say. In truth, Jaune had been wondering that question since the very moment she said yes to begin with., especially with her sister looming over her. She could have easily said no, and left him out to dry, but she didn't.

"Well, you're a really good friend of mine, and I wanted to help you out. You did ask me to after all." Ruby said, though she didn't sound very sure of herself. Jaune nodded quietly, finding himself oddly unsatisfied with her answer, though he didn't know why? It confused him to no end.

"Are you sure that's the only reason?" Jaune asked. Ruby didn't answer immediately. They walked in silence for about a minute before Ruby opened her mouth to speak. Before she could say anything however, a loud growl echoed through the forest.

"Jeez Jaune, if you're that hungry, maybe we should grab some actual breakfast first. It sounds like theirs a war in your tummy." Ruby said, laughing.

"That… wasn't me." Jaune said slowly. He casted a gaze over the bushes, scanning them for any change, or sway. Jaune was quiet, listening closely. Nothing could be heard except the sway of the tree, and the whooshing of the wind. There was another noise just under the surface. Something that both Jaune and Ruby had to strain their ears to hear properly. The sound was clearer now. It was a deep, rumbling growl that shook Jaune to his core.

Jaune drew Crocea Mors, and readied his shield. Ruby released Crescent Rose, and held it in position. They waited, bated breathed, ready for anything that would come their way. Slowly, yet surely, the growling stopped and whatever it was had slinked away. Jaune and Ruby waited for a few moments before relaxing, though keeping their weapons out. Jaune withdrew his shield, keeping the blade out of its sheath, and planted the blade into the ground.

"What do you think that was?" Jaune asked, shakily.

"Whatever it was, it's gone now." Ruby stated. "Should we keep moving, or wait until we know it's gone?"

"Depends. What time do you think it is?"

Ruby shrugged. "I dunno. My scrolls out of battery."

"You didn't charge it before you left? Really Ruby." Jaune said, sighing.

Ruby's face grew bright red. "Hey, I was excited okay? Besides, where's your scroll?"

"Right here." Jaune said, plucking it out of his own pocket. When he pressed the button to turn it on, he was met with a pure black screen with a blinking icon on it. _Out of battery._ Jaune's face blanched. He forgot to charge his too.

"Well, what time is it?" Ruby asked.

"Uh… you know what, we don't need scrolls to find out the time, we have the sky line to do that job for us." Jaune said hastily, tucking his scroll back into his pocket. He leaned against a tree, and stared at the open blue sky, looking for the sun. The sun was nearly directly overhead, meaning it was near the afternoon. It was a good enough means to gauge the time, and while it wasn't accurate, it was all he had at the moment.

As he stared at the sky, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful the day was. The milky white pillows that surrounded a deep blue sky that stretched on forever. The bright orb in the sky radiating light everywhere. He could just stare at it forever. His head felt so heavy, and cold. The light glimmered in his eyes strangely, as if he was gazing at it from underwater. His eyes sank back, his knees caving in from under him. He didn't care. He wanted to sleep. He didn't know why, but he wanted to sleep forever. When his face hit the grass, he closed his eyes and welcomed the darkness that followed.

A faint voice shouted at him, though he could barely hear it. It sounded as if it was coming from a radio, garbled and full of static. Jaune moaned as his head began throbbing. He fought against his drowsiness and opened his eyes to a shadowy petite figure just above him. Ruby was screaming something, but he couldn't hear. He could feel her small fingers working around the straps of his armor. She clipped it off of him and tossed it aside. Next, she removed his hoodie, gazed confusedly at Jaune's poorly wrapped wound, slowly and carefully removed it, and she covered her mouth, eyes widened in shock.

She could hear her now. Just barely, but he could hear her. "Jaune, speak to me! Jaune!"

His head shifted to the side, and he could see his wound again. Bile rose to his throat. The cut had been closed, though below the skin there was a sickening green hue. How couldn't he have seen it before? The knife he was cut with must've been laced with poison. Through blurred vision, he saw Ruby pull something out of her pocket that gleamed like silver.

"Ruby, what are you doing?" Jaune slurred.

"I'm sorry Jaune, this is gonna hurt a lot." He saw her hesitate. Saw her bite her lip and shiver. Then with a flash of that very silver in her hand, a ferocious wave of pain like he hadn't ever felt before burned through his body. He let out a choked scream, a flood of red spraying onto his face. He knew what Ruby was doing. A large of amount of blood rushing out of the body all at once could wash the poison out as it was only concentrated on one area.

And just like that, Jaune passed out.

When Jaune opened his eyes again, the sky wasn't as bright and beautiful as it was before. It glowed orange, the clouds barely visible in the sky. He was lying on something surprisingly soft for the forest. He was nearly startled by Ruby staring down on him, his head lying on her soft thighs. Jaune gave a weak smile.

"Hey."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She demanded.

"I…"

"Do you know what you made me do?" Ruby said, her voice shaking. "I had to cut you open! You were dying, Jaune. I could barely stop the bleeding. And for what? To save on time? To be a big man? You could have died, you idiot!" Jaune was at a loss for words. "You nearly died. I was so close to losing you. So close." She shook and sobbed. A tear dropped onto his cheek and slide down to his ear.

Jaune couldn't believe how selfish he felt. All this time, not telling anything because he thought it would hinder the mission, or make him seem weak, and he never thought of how she would feel. He stared at the young prodigy, broken down, tears rolling down her eyes, all because he was wanted to seem tougher than he was. He reached up and softly wiped a few tears off of her face. In the many months he knew her, he had never felt closer to her than he did now.

"I'm sorry." He croaked. "I was selfish."

"I know, you idiot, that was my point!" She shouted. "Never do that again, do you hear me? I don't want to lose anyone else. Especially you!"

"I won't, I swear. Arcs honor."

"Good. Now sleep. We'll be on the move again tonight. I bought some flashlights from the Weapons Shop. Go back to sleep." She said.

"But I'm not tired." He pseudo-whined.

"Go to sleep."

He chuckled. "Yes ma'am."

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading! Have a great day, or night wherever you are, and PLEASE REVIEW!**

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	6. Chapter 4: Caring Partners (Ruby Route)

When Jaune awoke from his brief slumber, night had crept across the sky, shrouding nearly everything in darkness. His soft pillow that was Ruby's thigh hadn't moved. He sighed contently, enjoying the brief spell of comfort, not wanting to disturb the young reaper. There was a warm tingle on his head, with several small fingers running through his hair. He snuck open an eye and saw Ruby smiling gently down at him, ignoring any disturbance the night gave.

Jaune tried to move, though a sharp pain in his shoulder stopped him, making him cry out. Ruby squeaked and jumped at the sudden movement. "Jaune, you're awake. How're you feeling? Any pain?"

Still on the ground, he tried working his shoulder. While there was definitely pain, it wasn't completely debilitating. He would have to just switch hands and protect that arm with his shield. The chill from the poison had nearly disappeared, but he wasn't willing to test it. He recalled that the chill from the poison had occurred the most when he was moving, forcing the poison throughout his body. He nearly slapped himself at how stupid he was to escalate it so far.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Jaune said reassuringly.

"No colds or weakness?"

"Plenty of that, but I'll be fine. I won't overdue it."

"You better not. I want to be at the forefront of combat from now on, you hear?" Ruby said in her best firm voice. This time, Jaune really did snigger. Her trying to sound menacing or commanding was always too adorable.

"That's fine with me."

Slowly, she helped him to his feet, packed up their gear, and walked off into the night with Ruby's newly bought flashlights guiding the way. The illuminated forest seemed never ending, and difficult to travel due to the terrain. That could have just been how Jaune was feeling though. Despite the poison mostly being drained away, he could barely suppress the cold and shivers. It didn't help that he had prior lost a significant amount of blood from the flushing. Occasionally, he would stumble or even trip and fall clumsily to the dirt.

Jaune took a deep breath every time this happened, stood and walked tall, ignoring the looks of concern from his temporary partner. Even though Ruby was the main power point for their group, that didn't mean that he could afford to be weak. This was his mission, and he needed to be strong. There was no other recourse about it.

After a good hour of traveling silently, They were finally met with the edge of the mountain. It was a solid wall of stone with jagged edges spilling out in a few areas. Jaune gulped. There was no other way up the mountain except the craziest way of all.

They had to climb the sheer edge.

"I see a cave entrance near the top. The ore's gotta up there." Jaune took a step forward, then stumbled with a groan, leaning on the cliff for support.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Ruby asked, giving him a concerned look.

"Sure I am. I'm good with climbing. What's the worst that can happen?"' Jaune said with a shivering confidence. Ruby narrowed her eyes and puffed her cheeks out.

"I can carry you up the mountain, y'know." The mental image of Ruby carrying him on her back despite him being twice her size fired into his head. The sheer weirdness of it made him burst out laughing.

"I'll be fine. Let's just get going. If we get outta here fast enough, maybe I'll stop by the sweet shop on our way home." Jaune said with a smirk.

Ruby practically squealed, bouncing on her heels, and already began working her way up the mountain. Jaune gulped, staring at the sheer cliff side. The jagged edges would probably provide a great foothold for climbing. Plus, the edge wasn't very tall, and could be climbable even in his weakened state. The knight took a deep breath, and began his steady trek up the cliff. Ruby was way ahead of him, speeding up the mountain at a speed that would make a rocket jealous. Occasionally, she would look back at the struggling blonde and yell if he was alright, to which he would nod and wave for her to go on, though Jaune was anything but alright.

Numbness and shivers periodically stuttered his movements. Every time he ordered his fingers to close on a rock, his body wanted them to stay rigid and frozen, making the simple act of gripping devastatingly difficult. He was fighting a war with his own body. He was halfway up the mountain before he grabbed on to a particularly loose piece of stone, which cracked and shattered, making him slide and scuff down the side.

Crying out in surprise, he struggled and clawed against the rocks surface, focusing his aura in his hands to protect the skin, though to his horror, he was having no luck. He was ready for a fall before he was somehow stopped and left hanging by his arm. He looked up slowly and was relieved to see that his leather gauntlet had snagged onto the stone and held him against the rock.

"Oh thank Oum." Jaune said with a sigh.

"Okay, that's it, go back down." Ruby shouted from up top.

"What?" Jaune demanded.

"I said go back down! I'll get your ore, you just wait down there." Jaune opened his mouth to complain, but then he was met with that look again. That look she gave him when she flushed the poison out of his arm with his blood. He bit his lip staring at that fierce determination, and concern in her doe-like eyes. "I don't want to see you hurt again. The poison isn't even gone yet. If you keep going on like this, you're going to die, or worse."

"Not sure what can be worse than death, Rubes." Jaune challenged nonchalantly.

"Don't test me, Arc." Ruby shouted, slamming the side of her fist against the stone.

"Ruby-"

"No! Get back down, so I can get this ore. Then we'll rendezvous back to the village, we'll get the sweets and head home, and everything will be-"

"Ruby!"

The young reaper closed her mouth, eyes widened at the surprisingly strong and commanding tone the blonde gave. "I get it that you're concerned for me. Trust me. But like it or not, this is my mission. If I don't do this mission, then what's the point of me going back to Beacon? If I leave it to you, I may as well get my luggage in the mail on the way home."

Jaune ran a hand through his hair with his free hand, making sure to cut off any remark Ruby was about to make. "Look, I made my choices. I chose to go to Beacon despite…" Jaune trailed off, looking away from Ruby, unable to say what he wanted to say. "Despite me not being ready. I chose to fight Grimm for an eventual living. I chose to fight as a hunter. If I can't do this, then what's the point?"

"Jaune…"

"Ruby, trust me." Jaune said, smiling.

Ruby was silent, staring at the blonde before sighing. "Why do you have to be the hero all the time?" she asked exasperated.

"One of us has to be." Jaune replied, beginning his climb back up the surface. Jaune was slow in his journey, and stumbled every so often, but through sheer determination alone, he managed to continue on, ignoring the cold and shivers, and occasional spikes of pain. Eventually, they both made it to the cave entrance, tired and weary. Jaune leaned against the entry way, sighing gently.

"You okay?" Ruby asked for what seemed like the thousandth time today.

"I'm alright, mom, I just… need a minute." He sat down and moaned, leaning his head back against the stone wall. Ruby sat next to him, obviously not nearly as exhausted as he was. Jaune had to smile at this fact. The girl just had so much energy, always bubbling and happy, ready to nuzzle and cuddle with anyone who deserved to be near her. He honestly couldn't believe that despite knowing her for several months that he was just realizing how much he appreciated her, and welcomed her company. Hopefully, she felt similarly about him.

"Hey, Jaune?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you have to be the hero?"

"Uh…" Jaune stumbled trying to find an answer. That was quite a question that he wasn't' expecting to hear. Why did he want to be a hero? He knew that as a child, that's all he wanted to be. That was why he embarked on the journey of a lifetime heading to Beacon. Was it simply because he wanted the chance to give his life for another? Maybe to be strong enough to say to look someone in the eyes and say, 'you'll be okay, I'm here to help you.' He simply shrugged it off, never thinking of it until now. "Sorry, I can't think of anything."

"Yeah you can." She said. "You just did, not too long ago."

"Did I?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah. Back at the cliff. Do you remember what you said?"

"Uh… yeah. I said that someone had to be one." Jaune said, shrugging.

"Exactly. You know, that's the best kind of answer you can possibly give me. Everyone needs a hero, and not everyone can be one. Maybe that's because not many people actually try." She leaned her head onto his shoulder, nuzzling her hair into the crook of his neck. Jaune gulped, red firing to his face. "Just remember, we all need heroes. Even you."

"Y-yeah." Jaune said nervously. "Thanks Rubes." Jaune felt his hand move against his will and drift over Ruby's, squeezing her hand. She gasped shortly, then giggled.

"I don't think Yang would like that."

"Ah she's a good hundred miles away. Unless she drank whatever the hell Professor Oobleck puts in his coffee every morning, I think I'll be just fine." Jaune said nonchalantly.

"Aw, you're getting braver!" She said cheerfully, pulling at his cheeks.

"You say that now, but just watch. The moment I see her, I'll be running so fast, everyone will think I've got a time distortion Semblance." They both laughed, and settled back, sighing.

"Hey, Jaune."

"What's up?"

"Don't ever change, okay?" She said distantly. "Get stronger. Stronger than any of us. Just please don't change. I like the goofy Jaune a lot." Jaune smiled at the young reaper.

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll never change."

"Ever?"

"Ever."

"Good." She shifted gingerly about him, her body heating up in his grip. "We should probably get going. The ore should be around here somewhere. Do you think there are Grimm down there?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Jaune asked, masking his fear through a well placed mask of confidence.

"I seriously doubt you can fight like that. You're barely standing as it is. Maybe you should-"

"Ruby, we just talked about this."

"I know but just please be careful. Leave the fighting to me until your aura heals that cut. It wasn't exactly shallow y'know. I had to do what I had to do." She shivered as she said this. Jaune understood. She probably hadn't seen that much human blood before in her life. He had to respect that. Despite being so young, she was so much stronger than he gave her credit for.

"Alright. Let's go." Jaune said. He was disappointed when she lifted her head off his shoulder, and took her hand away. Jaune stood and stretched, hissing in pain when his shoulder flared up in pain. At least the shivers didn't come back. Carefully, they worked there was into the caves solid entrance, with Jaune knocking his head over and over on the stone ceiling above. Ruby giggled every time.

"See, it helps being short sometimes." She said cheerfully.

"Whatever, Crater Face." Jaune snarked back.

"Being vertically challenged could help you out, Vomit Boy."

It wasn't long before the cave opened up to a widened, opened corridor, with light pouring in through a skylight just above. The walls were barren, and completely devoid of anything. It was like it was wiped clean prior to them being there. The skylight didn't shine as much light as they wanted as the walls were still quite dark.

"We need a closer look." Ruby said take a step forward. A sudden loud crack made his heart skip a beat. It sound like sandstone crumbling and chipping away below them.

"Ruby, back up!" Jaune shouted, yanking her by the arm. The instant her feet left the ground, the ground beneath her shattered in a perfect Ruby shaped hole. Jaune could barely contain his throbbing heart. If he didn't pull her back up, she would have fallen to Oum knows where.

Carefully, Jaune took an experimental step, tapping the edge of his shoe against the thin stone plating. There was a subtle rumble, with the area shaking slightly underfoot. He tilted to the left and tapped another area and found the area surprisingly solid. "Yup. As I thought." Jaune though with an affirmed nod.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"I think we need a shrimp to walk to walk and see exactly what spots are sensitive, and what aren't" Jaune said. He looked down on Ruby and smirked. She narrowed her eyes on him, growling like a Chihuahua.

"I'll get you for that, Vomit Boy." She warned.

"Maybe when you can actually reach my face, Crater Face."

"Just you wait, Jaune. Just you wait."

Jaune nodded. And gestured all the way to the other side, where another opening was just ahead. "Look, I'm gonna need you to head over there on your own. It's best not to use your speed, in case the whole thing shatters. When you're over there, toss me a line so I can work my way across.

Ruby took a deep breath and stepped forward onto the platform, pressing her foot carefully against the surface before walking. Every step seemed made Jaune's heart skip a beat. He hated putting her out on this kind of risk, but he knew that he was far too heavy, and would probably fall the moment the stepped onto the stone. This was no doubt the smartest option, and he absolutely despised it. After several agonizing minutes, she finally made it to the other side, and tossed a rope with a hook attached, with Jaune catching it smoothly in his good hand.

"Be careful, okay" Ruby warned.

"No problem. Its gonna be easy as- what the hell is that?" Jaune asked in a low, quivering voice.

"What is wha-aaaaa?" She trailed off, staring in awe at what was blocking the skylight.

The calm moonlight that shined through the open skylight was blotted out by a strangely shaped shadow. Jaune looked up, eyes widening in shock, his breath hitching. Flying on wings that seemed like it was made of black and silver blades, and one of the most demonic faces Jaune had ever seen, a large Grimm hovered overhead.

Any kind of description of whatever it was had been lost to him. The Grimm had resembled a demon in a way, with a strangely humanoid shape, and a thin tail that snapped at the air like a whip. Its body was large, with hands that had claws so large, they put rapiers to shame. Its face was like a face carved in a jack-o'-lantern, jagged featured with a dark aura and haze seeping through its orifices. Odd looking antlers spread out of his head in patterns similar to lightning. The monster roared so loudly, the entirety of the mountain trembled. Jaune covered his ears to prevent being deafened, but that hardly helped the pain.

"What kind of Grimm is that?" Jaune shouted over the screeching. Ruby shouted something back, but he couldn't interpret whatever she was saying. Jaune bent to his knees the level himself. The ground cracked underneath him, some holes giving way. The Grimm let out a low rumbling growl that shook him to the core. The beast turned to him, its scaly black tongue running along its teeth.

"Jaune, run!" Ruby screamed over to him, though Jaune was too slow to react. Like a bird of prey swooping down for its next meal, the Grimm plummeted down in a dive, missing Jaune and Ruby entirely. What it did end up hitting was the solid floor with the force of a falling boulder.

Dead center in the middle of the fragile stone.

"Ruby!" Jaune shouted as the entirety of the ground shattered under his boots. The ground gave way, and Jaune fell victim to the evil that was gravity. He fell chest first down into the dark shadows below, where the Grimm was. There was nothing below but darkness. Jaune struggled flailed against the air, as if that would actually do anything. He heard Ruby continually shouting his name as he fell into the shadows, though her voice was drifting farther and farther away.

Jaune was about to shout back until his back and head hit solid ground, and his world fell to black.

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading! Please review, and prepare for the next chapter, where Jaune's mission comes to an end. How will it end? Well, you'll see later. Thanks!**_


	7. Chapter 5: Knight Brutality (Ruby Route)

A dull, shallow, hallowed breath was all that Jaune could hear. It took him nearly five minutes to figure out that it was his own. Through the blinding headache, disorienting ringing, and the blurriness of his vision, all he saw were deep shadows. He groaned lightly, trying to ignore his throbbing skull. He laid flat on his back, body slightly twisted and sprawled along the stone floor below. He tried to rise, though his tired body prevented him from even shifting.

It took another few minutes to remember how he'd fallen into this dark place. Recollections of a cruel, demonic Grimm phased into his dazed mind. This said Grimm shattered the loose, hollow ground below him, sending him tumbling into this dreaded abyss. Jaune had no idea how long he had been asleep. However, there was no stinging or tightness on his wound, telling him his aura had finally closed the wound. The chill's and shivers had died down, and there was no blistering cold around his wound. Jaune furrowed his brow. How long would he have to be out for the poison to dissolve?

Slowly, but surely, he pushed himself up to a seated position before hoisting himself up, using a jagged stone to hold himself steady. This was easier said than done as his body hadn't quite caught up with his mind yet. Hissing at the stinging pain, he reached towards the back of his head, and touched a warm liquid. He swore under his breath. He was bleeding. How badly, he didn't know. He took a deep breath, then staggered forward, though to where, he didn't know. There was no skylight anymore. He presumed he was too far down to actually see it.

"R-Ruby?" He croaked weakly. He nearly kicked himself. He could barely hear his own voice. "Ruby!"

There was no answer. His shout bounced off the thick stone walls. A few more steps into the darkness had put Jaune to his knees, coughing lightly. There was no light ahead. Only the deepening, jet black corridor that led to nowhere. He reached backwards for his pack only to discover it missing from his back. It must've fallen off when he was flailing in midair. Jaune chuckled bitterly to himself. Could this get any worse?

"Anyone here?" Jaune called. "Anyone! Please, shout or something!"

Once again, no response. There wasn't even a bat to screech, and fly deeper into the cave. All he heard was the soft crackling of the stones above him, and the soft drip of his blood falling steadily to the stone surface. His vision blurred.

"Dammit." He growled, rubbing his eyes. That might have been a bad idea, but he didn't care. "So much for an easy mission."

When he pulled his fingers away, he noticed something in the distance. Some kind of crimson glow that flickered just barely in sight. It was barely visible, but it was there. Through further inspection, the glow grew brighter and more distinct. In the crimson, there was an orange tint that covered the inner layer of the true color. It reminded him of Pyrrha's weapon in a way, in color scheme at least.

Then it hit Jaune.

A fresh surge of strength ran through him, following his excitement. Abandoning his fatigue and weakness, he sprinted across the creaking, crackling stone corridor, and tripping over a few stones, only to stagger back to his feet again. He made his way to the source, smiling brightly. It was a wall filled with encrusted gems, each glistening and shining like stars.

"Oh thank Oum." Jaune hissed. He could barely believe his luck. Here he was, lost and wounded, only to find the very stone that he was tasked to find. Excitedly, he chipped away at the rock around the gemstones, placing the shards and stones greedily into a small pouch. Rubbing the excess grit and dirt off of his face and armor, he clipped the small pouch onto his belt next to Crocea Mors, and sighed deeply in relief, sliding down the cave wall onto his rear. He resisted the urge to send his head back, fearing a particularly jagged piece of stone would get stuck in his open wound. Though even that was starting to tingle, and the pain was beginning to lesson, signaling that his potent aura was already healing it.

Perhaps it would be best if he rested here for a little bit. If he kept waddling around in the dark, mistaking his own shadow for ghosts, he would be even more lost than he already was. Instinctively, he checked his scroll only to be met with a black screen with a blinking battery icon, of which he had completely forgotten about. He growled to himself. Even that quiet growl managed to echo through the dank, empty cave. The bright glow that had once lit up this small corner had dimmed significantly thanks to his taking of the stones.

A louder than usual crack drove Jaune out of his stupor. Another sent him to his feet, clutching Crocea Mors hilt. Mouth aquiver, Jaune spoke. "W-who's there?"

Nothing spoke back. But he did hear something much more terrifying. A deep, loathing, familiar growl that he had heard just a few moments before he blacked up at the bottom of this ravine. He pushed himself off of his stone, and took a few experimental steps forward. A large whoosh, and a small draft of air nearly blasted him off of his feet. He felt a presence pass him by. Someone or something just rushed past him.

"Ruby?" Jaune asked hopefully.

He was met with a loud growl in response. Suddenly, a loud scratching sound shot to his eardrums. The sound of powerful blades or nails piercing through stone as if it were a hot knife through butter. It happened again, only this time, behind him. It was getting closer and closer to him with every shadowy movement.

"What are you…" Jaune squeaked. "Where are you?"

Jaune did not know how he did it. He didn't even know why. All he heard was the wind parting beside him. He ducked his head low, and a split second later, a loud scythe-like sound ran just over his head, shearing a few hairs off the top of his head. Swearing under his breath, he swiveled where he stood, and backed up to the brightest place he could find. Back at the stone wall that once held the very gems he sought after. He reached his hand out, and brushed against an engraving in the stone that he hadn't noticed was there before. In fact, it shouldn't have been here at all.

Sweating profusely, he reached back and ran his large hand against an threw pronged etching stretched along the thick surface. Just one slash mark was nearly bigger than his hand in width, and nearly twice as deep.

 _And like that, I am out of here._ Jaune though panicked.

Without a second thought, he pushed off the wall and sprinted down the winding dark cave. He was completely blind, stumbling every so often in the darkness, but he managed to keep his footing and keep on going. He heard the wind parting, and bestial growling behind him. Ignoring any of the weakness he had left, he carried on for a good few minutes, panting loudly, the creature closing in behind him. Soon, the cave began to lighten up slightly. He must have been approaching an exit! He sped up, and finally ended up at the caves exit, where daylight nearly blinded him as he stepped out.

Quickly, he dove to the side, and stepped down, though he stepped on nothing but air. His heart skipped a beat. A strangled cry escaped his throat. He jerked around madly, flailing his hands about, trying to close onto something, and to some miracle, he did. He grabbed the side of the stone cliff with one hand, and held on tightly, his feet dangling loosely over the open air. There was a loud roar just above him, and the familiar parting of the wind just over his head, then behind him, then below him. The roaring grew fainter, and after a loud crack, it immediately stopped.

Jaune didn't pull himself up right away. He just dangled there, dazed and weary, surprised at the strength in his one hand. As his eyes adjusted, he noted the orange morning sun, the tinted skies, and the nearly hundred foot drop just under his legs. He gripped the edge with both hands and muscled up, laying on his back, one arm just over the edge. There was an alpha beowolf just at the bottom of the cliff, broken and bloodied, oozing a black mist and dead as a doornail.

"All this trouble just for a damn rock." Jaune said wearily to himself. He chuckled weakly, closing his tired eyes.

Sitting here wouldn't get him anywhere. He had to find Ruby. That was the main priority now. He pushed past his exhaustion, and stood up slowly, studying everything around him. He was at the midway point, around the time he stumbled when they climbed up the first time. Their entry point was just above him. With a deep breath, he scuttled up, and climbed in.

"R-ruby?" Jaune shouted. "Can you hear me?" No answer. "Dammit… Please be okay."

He walked on aimlessly, trying to remember the path as he went. Halfway down the path, he discovered his backpack laying strewn across the stone, torn in a few places, yet still intact. "Score!" Jaune shouted, pumping his fist up. He cried out loudly in pain as his fist hit the ceiling. Damn his tallness!

After rubbing his sore fist, he moved on until his ended up at a familiar skylight, only this time the ground had been torn asunder, like a plate that had hit a solid floor. He gulped. "Ruby!" He shouted. "Are you okay? Answer me!"

This time, he did hear something, albeit, slightly faint. "Ruby!"

"Shut up!" A squirrely voice called. A crimson blur slammed into him, and ran him into a small crevice. A small weight pressed on his armor, barely taking up his kneeling frame. Jaune peeked up, and saw a familiar head of black, red streaked hair.

"Ruby! Thank Oum you're alright, I was worried there for a se-"

"Jaune, please, shut up!" Ruby hissed. She pressed herself against him, concealing herself and him in the crevice completely.

"Wha- What's going on?" Jaune whispered.

"I was hiding from that Grimm all night. He's a tough one. You've been gone for hours. You scared me to death." Ruby said, her voice nervous with a trace of sorrow. Though, he didn't need Ruby to tell him how scared she was. He could feel her pounding heart through his armor, as well as the heat of her petite body, making him shiver oddly.

"Well, I'm alive. A little banged up, but alive." He said.

"What's a little banged up'?" Ruby inquired, narrowing her eyes.

Jaune was about to say not very much, then he remembered his shoulder wound. How heartbroken and terrified Ruby looked as she had to slice him open. Or just how emotional she was afterwards. He didn't want to see that again. He sighed.

"I hit the back of my head on the fall." He said.

Ruby pursed her lips, gazing at him with a childlike concern. "Are you bleeding?"

"Just a little. Not enough."

"Dizzy at all? Lightheaded?"

"No."

"Jaune..." She said sternly, stretching his name out.

"I'm not." Jaune said, chuckling quietly. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the loud sound of something swooping in through the skylight. A dark shadow loomed overhead, with two wing-like shapes stretching out. Jaune's blood ran cold. "Ruby, I think I found the Grimm."

"Oh no…" Ruby said nervously.

The Grimm perched itself atop the edge of the skylight, peering overhead at the environment. Jaune gulped. It was staring right at them. Just staring menacingly at them, waiting for them to make a move. As the fear rose in his throat, his eyes scattered the surroundings, trying to form a plan, or a place of exit. Going back the way they came was a bad idea. It was on the other side of the cave and trying to reach it would mean trying to outrun that giant. He could count on Ruby making it out, but not himself. He looked up around the ceiling and winced as dust and stone dropped in a haze on his face. Jaune grit his teeth, almost afraid of what he was about to suggest.

"Do you have a plan?" Ruby asked, her hand drifting to the collapsed form of Crescent Rose that hung at her side.

"Yeah, but… " He took a deep breath. "It's risky as hell."

"I've got nothing in terms of plans right now, so if you've got something, I'd love to hear it."

"See how breakable that ceiling is?" He said, pointing upwards. She nodded. "On my signal, shoot it with something loud and destructive. Doesn't matter what, just do it. After that, run." Observing the Grimm wasn't that hard. Its mannerisms reminded him of a wild animal in a sense, as if it were a predator waiting to pounce on its prey. Savage, though with a certain amount of cunning to it. The moment either of them showed action, the Grimm would strike. He had to time this right. On the lucky side, it didn't look like it could register complete stillness. It seemed like it could only see movement.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? This whole place will cave in on us if we do this." Ruby said uncertainly.

"Nope. But what else have we got? Alright, on my mark." Jaune shifted slightly, shaking like a leaf, deliberately making his movements slow, and fluid. He slid past Ruby, freezing completely when the Grimm let out a low, rumbling growl. "One… two… " He kicked off, sprinting towards the cave entrance. Immediately, the Grimm swung its head around, roaring loudly, wings and claws outstretched. "Fire!"

Instantly, a loud crack filled the air. A burning heat hit the back of his neck, and Jaune stumbled slightly as a small force hit his back. Whatever Ruby just shot at the roof, it worked. The entire area shook and rumbled, with the skylight area cracking in random directions. As soon as he reached the exit, Ruby sped up next to him in a red blur, and the both ran down the hill as the entirety of the cave came down. The roaring ceased, presumably crushed by the falling debris. They exited the cave just as it caved in behind him, leaving them breathless.

"I can't believe that worked." Jaune said, panting, hands on his knees.

"I can't believe you were crazy enough to suggest doing that in the first place." She said wearily. "Have you gone crazy recently? Has the blood-loss affected your brain? Are you sure nothing got scrambled with that fall?"

Jaune laughed, as did Ruby. He leaned against the wall, back sliding until he sat, catching his breath. Ruby did the same, take a deep breath. She looked slightly shaken, and the dark shadows under her eyes showed the amount of sleep she was putting off, however she wasn't at all injured from the looks of things. Jaune gave a low moan as he accidently grazed his wounded head on the rock behind him. His fingers brushed against the small package at his side, reminding him of why they were there in the first place.

"I found the ore." Jaune said, smiling.

"You did?" Ruby asked, eyes wide.

"Yup!" He dangled the bag in front of her face. "Packed and ready to go. A complete lucky break if I do say so myself." Jaune smirked. "You got the emergency beacon?"

"Right here." Ruby said, showing a small clicker, poking her tongue out at him. "So how should we celebrate when we get back?"

"I dunno, what do you suggest?"

"Coo-"

"No cookie party." Jaune said firmly,

"Aw, why?" Ruby whined.

"The last time we had one of those, you and Nora got so hyper that you nearly destroyed Beacon. And my mom thought _I_ was hyper when I ate too much candy…" Jaune said, shivering at the memory. Jaune was about to continue, however he gazed into her eyes, seeing something that he'd never seen before. Something behind that doe-like gaze. It was like peering through a silver, stain glass window. It was as if she were hiding something. "Ruby, are you alright?"

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?" She said a little too fast.

"Ruby…" There was a small crack. Jaune would have ignored it if it didn't happen again. And then again. The debris shook behind him, rumbling and moving. Jaune's face blanched. "Ruby, we have to go. Now!" Suddenly, the cluster of rubble had burst apart in a mad spray, with Jaune and Ruby being barraged by a collection of stones. Ruby wasn't affected much as she had dodged to the side, but Jaune wasn't as lucky. He had been launched off the ledge, and sent flailing off the edge. Yelling and jerking his arms about, he managed to save himself, grabbing onto a piece that was sticking out.

The demonic, winged Grimm spiraled out of the cave, then hovered, staring down at the hunter's-in-training. Jaune tried not to move, but the strength in his grip was draining away. He swore over and over under his breath as he was left with just fingers clinging onto the ledge.

"Ruby, you mind getting this thing off my back?" Jaune croaked.

He didn't' hear Ruby reply, though he did hear the familiar whoosh of her semblance as she flew up the wall. The Grimm jerked its ugly head up, roared, and charged, claws armed and ready. Fear rose in Jaune's heart. As tough as Ruby was, he wasn't sure she could take that thing on her own. He knew he had to get up and help her, but he had no idea what he could do. He had no long range weaponry, and that thing had so much mobility over him, the only thing he could do was defend.

He clicked his tongue, shivering as he was left with two fingers holding him up for dear life. The pain and terrible strain on his arm was taking its tole. As a last ditch effort, he wrenched his spare dagger out of the sheath strapped to his thigh, and jammed it into the stone. It cut through the rough surface, though it didn't go too. It went just far enough to keep him up. Slowly, he pulled himself up, rolling carefully onto the ledge.

"Ruby!" Jaune shouted, jerking his head about, trying to find her. The silence was broken by the sound gunfire and battle-cries split the air. Slowly, he climbed up the rock wall, going beyond the collapsed entry way, and reaching the topmost area, a flattened, deserted stone surface. To his surprise, Ruby flew past him, and slammed into a wall, crying out in pain, and fell to the floor unconscious. Her weapon impaled itself next to her. She didn't move.

"No… no no no." Jaune croaked, scared out of his mind.

He rushed over to her limp form, but he found himself tossed back by an incoming claw. He cried out in pain as he felt a severe, stinging pain running along his chest. Looking down, he grit his teeth, paling slightly. The claws had pierced through his armor like a hot knife through butter, leaving a four pronged slash mark along his flesh. It was shallow, and bleeding faintly, though it wasn't life threatening, luckily for him.

Slowly, he forced himself up, clenching his teeth even harder as the Grimm charged in. Crocea Mors practically flew out of its hilt, and the shield sprang out, and was quickly attached to his arm. He met the beast halfway, blocking, parrying, and rolling with skill that he had no idea he had. Perhaps he was running on pure adrenaline, or maybe Ruby's injured, sleeping form had struck a nerve inside of him.

He spent a couple of minute steadily balancing offence and defense, letting himself glide and dance around the Grimm, memorizing all of its patterns, though it soon became quickly apparent that his current strategy wouldn't work. The beast was erratic, and excessively random, making basic move prediction a complete chore. Eventually, Jaune lost the pattern and made an unbalanced strike, to which he paid for. The beast swiped its bladed arms him, connecting with his chest plate. He was sent flying nearly off the cliff, only managing to hold himself up by his hurt arm. Jaune winced at the throbbing pain in his chest.

Cursing and gasping, he muscled himself back, and spotted something that made his heart skip a beat. The Grimm was drawing closer to Ruby's unconscious form, his drool laced teeth and jaw warped in a horrific grin. It picked her up, and opened his mouth wide, welcoming its latest meal.

And just like that, something snapped.

Jaune saw nothing but a strange, bursting mixture of red and white. He rushed forward, roaring loudly, shield forgotten where it laid, and swung rapidly with his sword, not care where or what he hit. Something warm continually gushed over him, and he felt some pressure pushing him back, and smacking down upon him sometimes, but that didn't stop him. He continued on until the monster stopped moving. He didn't care though. It must've been merely incapacitated. He had to keep going.

And going, and going, and going!

Don't stop!

In his seething rage, he barely noticed the frame of a young girl wrap itself around his back. The figure spoke, but it sounded garbled, and scrambled. It took about a minute for him to finally hear it. "Jaune, please stop!"

Almost robotically, he froze mid-swing, realizing that for the last few seconds, he was hacking away at a bleeding, pulpy, hazy corpse. The Grimm was dead. No, it wasn't just dead, it was completely annihilated. Its wings were decimated, covered in bloody slash marks, with what looked like burn scars littered across its surface. One had been completely torn off, and tossed aside in a clump of hazy porcelain flesh. Its head had been completely removed. He couldn't even find where it had gone.

Jaune was shocked at his own savagery. Though he didn't have much time to contemplate his actions as a severe pain wrapped around his body. He opened his mouth to scream, but realized he couldn't get a word out. It all came out in a dry hiss, and even a slight gurgle. He looked down, jaw aquiver, terrified of what he saw.

Four pronged slash marks surrounded multiple corners of his body. Littering his body with several bleeding cut. More cuts had aligned themselves around his chest, thighs, calves, arms, and just about every other extremity. Blood ran down in a frenzy from a rather large slit along the side of his neck. The part that scared him the most was his left arm, which dangled limply at an angle that he was sure it wasn't supposed to be in. He coughed. He tasted copper mixed in with his own spit. He turned limply, and looked down onto Ruby, her face warped in shock and terror. Despite this, he managed a split-lipped grin.

"Well, that wasn't a very good idea, eh?"

With that, he collapsed, with the last things he heard being the droning sounds of an airship, and the cries of the girl he's come to care about more than he thought possible.

* * *

 ** _Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait, though I didn't have much of a choice. I'm just been so damn busy lately. Hope ya'll understand. Next chapter will come out a lot sooner. Please REVIEW! Thanks!_**


	8. Chapter 6: The Realization (Ruby Route)

Jaune was very used to unconsciousness, though this feeling was far from what he was used to. Floating in a deep empty void that was his own head, he was lost, cold and alone. He would have expected his heart to be pounding, his pulse racing, or the familiar shivers and shivers associated with this kind of fear, but he felt none of that. On the contrary, a bitter cold wrapped around him, and any kind of heartbeat was nearly non-existent. Opening his mouth, he found that he couldn't utter a sound. None of his senses functioned. No feeling, smell, sound, taste, or sight in this vast, dark void. He almost missed the pain of his wounds. They hurt, but they always reminded him that he was alive.

Time seemed irrelevant. Jaune couldn't tell if he had spent an eternity in this terrifying place, or only a few minutes. Distinct noises made there way to his ears, though he couldn't tell from what or who. It was distorted and garbled, as if coming from underwater. Jaune almost cringed as the noise grew incredibly shrill. A voice? No, a shriek. A fear-filled, sorrowful scream. There was a weight on his chest. Several voices now, all speaking over each other. Some were harsh, desperate commands, others were small and feeble. A loud, rhythmic beeping. The debilitating cold somehow growing harsher. His mind grew faint if it hadn't already.

To his surprise, he felt a somewhat sticky and heated pressure against two parts of his skin. More muffled, garbled voices. Then one sharp call of a distinct word that, this time, Jaune did make out. _Clear._ Suddenly, Jaune's chest jerked up as feeling fired back into his system. An electric pain wrapped around his body, making him jerk uncontrollably in that deep space. A strangled cry escaped his lips. The vast darkness dissipated into a field of white.

Jaune gasped. Clean, refreshing air invigorated his body. In a burst of energy, he jolted upwards, blindly in the light. His head slammed into something hard, small increments of pain bordering around his forehead. He uttered a low groan, and leaned back down, finally feeling the solid ground under his back. The first thing he felt otherwise was astonishingly cold. Similar to how the poison ravaged him, his body was filled with shivers and chills. Gradually, other senses began to return as well. The air was smelt sterile, and coated with alcohol. Those same distinct voices could be heard again, though he actually understood them this time. One was unbelievably high and demanding, and the other was soothing.

"I can't believe this, but he's stabilized." A third voice said, sounding as if he had just witnessed a miracle. "He must've lost most of his blood, how is this even possible?"

Jaune heard sobbing. Was that Ruby? A small hand wrapped itself around his own, though he couldn't return the gesture.

"How did he pull that off?" The soft spoken voice said.

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like this. The will to live must be much stronger than I ever imagined." The third voice replied..

"Is he going to be okay?" Ruby asked, her voice raspy.

"As long as he keeps healing like this, I'm sure he'll be just fine. We just have to get him back to Beacon." The soft spoken voice answered.

Beacon huh? That sounded like a good idea. He could use a little R-n'-R right now. A faint, faraway smile crept itself onto his face. It didn't take long for the darkness to consume him again, and his senses dulled. Time passed by, though he had no idea how long. For all he knew he could've spent years here, though he didn't mind. He still felt a pressure at his back, this time soft and snug. It gave him the feeling of him sleeping on Ruby's thigh again. Then the beeping started.

It wasn't loud by any means, though it quickly grew monotonous. It held a steady rhythm to it that Jaune became all too familiar with. His eyes fluttered open, though instantly closed again from the deep sunlight. Everything fired back to him all at once, senses and all. He let out a choked gasp, every inch of him etched in pain. A soft hand pushed him gently back down onto his bed, for he had nearly shot out of it.

"Easy now, everything's okay." A woman said soothingly.

"W-wha-?" Jaune rasped, his throat scratchy and sore. His eyes still had to adjust to the bright light, though he could make out a deep silhouette.

"You gave us quite a scare, young man. You've been asleep for nearly four days." The blurs and shadows blended together, forming some kind of cohesive picture. Vision becoming clearer, he saw the nurse's face. She was rather pretty, with decently short brown hair, and a kind, soothing gaze in her green eyes. She was smiling down on him, and that somehow took some of the pain away.

"Where am I?" Jaune croaked. His brows furrowed. "Wait, did you say I've been asleep for four days?"

"You are back at Beacon, and yes, you were asleep for that long. You've accumulated quite a few injuries from your little adventure." She left his line of sight. Pain restricted Jaune's movements. Turning his head to see whatever she was doing simply couldn't be done. About a minute later, she came back, file in hand. "Jaune Arc, age seventeen. Height: 6.1, Weight: 164 lb's, semblance: unknown, aura capacity: unknown. It saw here you have suffered over thirty-seven lacerations, forty contusions, two fractured ribs and humerus." Jaune's eyes widened as she listed his injuries. "The worst wound would appear to be a laceration that nicked a part of your jugular. You lost four pints of blood, and had gone into shock when Med-vacs arrived. There was even several doses of a semi-lethal poison still in your bloodstream. And yet…"

"Yet what?" Jaune asked, almost afraid of what he may hear.

"Despite all of those wounds, and the reports I received, I only had to patch up the wound on your neck, and your humerus. Maybe a cut on your arm as well. The rest had already healed before you got here." She said, sounding impressed. "I didn't even have to cast up your arm. It's just healing on its own. Aua's a wonderful thing, y'know."

"What? Seriously? Even the poison?"

"Yes. The poison dissipated completely literally just after you arrived."

Jaune drew back, surprised. The majority of his wounds had already healed? How was that possible? Last he checked, he had chucked his entire aura supply out at the Grimm when he fought it. Then again, what happened afterwards? Everything turned into such a blur of shapes and darkness when he tried to remember. Somehow, he found the strength to lift his head, and look down at his body. It was covered with a blanket, though

"Wait, where's Ruby?" Jaune asked, scared out of his mind suddenly.

"Don't worry, she's safe. She's the one who brought you here of course. Gave the paramedics some hell when they delivered you here." She said, chuckling slightly. "You weren't very different. As it turns out, even when injured you're quite a restless sleeper. You even head-butted one of the paramedics working on you. That was quite a sight to see. Did you have nightmares?"

"I… don't remember." Jaune said, rubbing his head.

"What do you remember? Do you remember anything at all?"

Jaune thought back as far as he could remember. He recalled an enormous rage, warm Grimm blood splattering around his skin, his clothes, and his armor. The pain was lost to him that instance. He only knew rage. He only knew to swing his sword with little regret, no cares, or fear. Nothing mattered except the death of that Grimm. All from him striking down his rose. He nearly snorted after that little thought. _His rose._

"Blood. Anger. That's just about it. Can't really remember anything else." Jaune said cryptically.

"Sounds just about right." Ozpin said at the door, making Jaune jump out of his skin. Apparently, he scared the nurse too as she had dropped her files, papers scattering about the floor. "Apologies for scaring you all. I should've knocked."

"No no sir, its fine. Were okay here." The nurse said, waving nonchalantly.

"If we're fine, then would you please excuse us. We need to talk about a few things. Don't you worry, I'll have him in bed early enough, and I won't stress him out anymore than he is." Ozpin said, slowly marching his way to Jaune. Each clack of his cane onto the solid ground sent a shiver down his spine. As instructed, the nurse walked off, treating another fallen student. He sat next to him, at his bedside, and clasped his hand onto the young man's shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Like a million lien." Jaune answered.

"Good. The brutality of your wounds frightened me at first. I thought I was going to have to write to your parents about your passing."

Jaune winced. The last thing he wanted was his loving mother and sisters to go through that kind of heartbreak. "Do they know about this?"

"I won't reveal any details without your consent." Ozpin replied, linking his fingers together. "As I understand, the ore was brought here." Jaune opened his mouth to speak, though he was cut off by the older man. "Don't worry too much about it. I will not bother with the specifics. Ms. Rose had to me that you found the ore yourself, and it was brought to me. That, in my opinion, at least warrants success. You are free to remain here as you please."

Jaune lay frozen, staring at the old man's face for quite some time before heaving out a sigh of relief. At least the pain and heartache hadn't gone without success. He was free now. As soon as he recovers, he could go on with his own life, now with an extra spring in his step. Naturally, he would keep up his rigorous training, and only get better, though something still bothered him.

"Who gave you the ore?" He asked.

"Ms. Rose did. She found it your armor in a pouch. I must admit, you have accumulated much more than I originally thought you would. You must've discovered a new portion of the mine."

Jaune looked away. "Yeah, it was at least."

"Well, I am aware of the caves condition. The Grimm has ravaged the area. I would be surprised if that cave were able to be mined within the next couple of years. On the one hand, however, sources tell me that you are responsible for the deaths of three Alpha Grimm." Ozpin smiled down onto him. "I am quite impressed. Not even some of our more experienced students can do that."

"Oh no, sir." Jaune said, waving his hands, flinching at the twinges of pain here and there. "Two of them were just happy accidents. The other nearly killed me earlier."

"All the same, congratulations." Ozpin said, smiling. "Bravery and loyalty to your partner is something that I can respect from you. And the amount of potential I see in you… I know I am making the right decision keeping you here. Don't make me regret this."

"You won't sir. I swear." Jaune said, tightening his face into a confident gaze. "And an Arc always keeps his word."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I must return to my work. Good day to you. You'll have the rest of the week off, so enjoy yourself while you can."

"Yes sir." Before the aged man could leave, Jaune stopped him. "How's Ruby?"

Ozpin turned, lips tightly pursed. "She is rather shaken. You did nearly die twice in her arms in the span of two days. On one instance, I believe she had to cut you open?"

Jaune's gaze downcasted. "Yeah, she had to flush poison out of my system. I really didn't want to put her through that."

"I would imagine. What I do think is foolish though is the fact that you hid that wound from her. That poison was meant for medium sized animals, not humans. The reason the poison affected you so badly is because you didn't treat it properly and kept moving around non-stop." Jaune gave a small grunt in response, barely paying attention.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"In her team room. Her sister had to practically force her back there. She refused to leave here."

"What? Why?" Jaune asked.

"She didn't want to leave you. She was stuck by your side since you arrived here. She never spoke much, she just seemed happy that you were still alive. That poor girl seems very afraid of losing people from the looks of things." Ozpin said, running a hand through his hair. "If you want to see her, you may want to do it now. Be gentle with her."

"Um, thank you sir." Jaune said wearily. Ozpin left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Hours passed. With the pain barely there to irk him, he wouldn't have had any trouble getting out of bed and walking over to Ruby's room, though something else stopped him. He was scared of what Ruby would say or do once she saw him. Nerves ran high as he thought of her anger. Of her aversion of him being a reckless hero who wasn't any good at anything except getting himself killed. Maybe she would be tired of dealing with him. Just the fear of losing one of his only friends kept him petrified to his bed.

Head bowed, he continued to contemplate his actions. Teeth gnawing at his lip, he shook his head, letting out a low growl. There was no way he could stay in here any longer. This was childish. Tackling the problem head-on wasn't the best way to go around things. Stiffly, he tossed the blankets off of him, moving off the bed carefully as not to agitate his wounds, and walked towards the door. He opened the door and walked out into the orange tinted, sunset lit halls, with what felt like years passing by passing by with every step. He almost felt like he had entered his next lifetime before he finally reached Team RWBY's door.

The door swung open before he knocked, revealing Yang staring blankly at him.

 _Oh no…_

"Yang! Uh… hi." Jaune said nervously.

Yang didn't answer. To Jaune's terror, Yang's hand lashed out and gripped Jaune's good shoulder. Though surprisingly, the grip wasn't hard, or even close to crushing his shoulder.

"She's in there." Yang said, pointing behind her. She shoved him in, mindful of his wounds, Once he arrived, Weiss cleared past him, book in hand. Despite her haste to leave, there seemed to be no disrespect in her movements. She knew what was going on. Yang nudged Blake. "Hey, Blake, how about we check out that new book at the library huh?" Blake's face lit up. At least that would keep her busy. Blake gave a gestured greeting to Jaune before passing him. Yang stopped behind him before leaving, and clapped him on his shoulder. "Thanks Vomit Boy."

"Um, Thanks for wha-?"

"Don't even try it, buddy. You saved her, so thanks. Oh, and if she decides that you can stay here tonight, then feel free. Just don't pull any bullshit if you do, savvy?" Yang warned.

"Y-yeah! No problem."

"Cool. See you in about an hour, or whenever Blake stops reading." She then walked off, closing the door behind him, leaving him and Ruby alone.

The room was still and quiet. Ruby was lying on her bed, her back facing towards him, already in her pajama's. Jaune gulped. Crocea Mors wouldn't be able to get him out of this one.

"Hey, Ruby I uh… I just want to say…" He stuttered uncontrollably. What was he doing? This was supposed to be a simple apology. An attempt to fan the flames down so that he could at least get out of this without too much of a tongue-lashing. Though standing here, looking at her small form, he realized a few things about himself. Why he would go to such lengths to save her. Why he would fight so hard to the point of near death to make sure she lived through the day. Why he wanted to spend so much time with her. In fact, he wanted to spend more time with her.

He chuckled ruefully to himself. He was falling for the young reaper, wasn't he?

It was so sudden, yet felt so obvious at the same time. The first ever bond that he had ever truly gotten at school, someone who inspired him, someone who was like in a way. Leaders. Underdogs. Someone willing to prove themselves. Though he had to admit, the thing he loved most was her was just how much she cared. He just wanted to return that care with everything he could.

Jaw aquiver, he struggled with the right words to say. "Hey, Rubes… I just wanna say thank you for coming with me. You did me so much good. Made me, well.. realize more about myself. So I just wanna say…. Well… Shit…" Jaune chuckled again, rubbing the back of his head. So others were right. Talking about this sort of thing was harder than it looked. Plus, he didn't' exactly have the biggest fortitude in the world. "I… I like you. A lot actually. And I want to know if you want to be… more than friends."

Silence filled the room. Jaune wasn't sure what else to say. Terror filled him. She heard him loud and clear, yet she didn't move or bat an eye. Was that a clear cut rejection? Dejected and depressed, he turned slowly, though stopped when he heard the steady rhythm of her breath. It was that same kind of rhythm as back on the airship, or back in her room prior.

Was she… was she _sleeping?_

He tested that theory out with a quick nudge to her shoulder. Yep. She was sleeping. Jaune groaned, resisting the urge to laugh. Of course, _that_ would happen. Deciding to leave her alone for the time being, he turned around, only to be stopped by her small hand. With one strong tug, he toppled onto her bed and into her waiting arms. She lay on top of him, moaning pleasantly, hands at his chest, and mouth at his neck. Carefully, he wrapped his uninjured arm around her petite frame, holding her close. He was a blushing mess, embarrassingly enough, though upon his realization, he didn't mind. In fact, he welcomed it. And with Yang's permission, he could continue welcoming it.

Sleep wouldn't come anytime soon, though he didn't care. Maybe he could enjoy this for a little longer before he would have to stop. He smiled, finally stress free, relieved, and for the first time in the longest time, happy.

* * *

 **Dense baka's not so dense anymore! Well, maybe. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review! It always means a lot to me, and I hope you'll look forward to the next chapter!**


	9. Chapter 7: Hope in the End (Ruby Finale)

"What in Oum's name are you doing to my partner?"

"What? Whats… mmm…" Came a slurred responce.

Jaune was roused from the best sleep he had ever had to a voice so angry and high pitched, it would have given angry Ruby a run for her money. A roaring explosion couldn't do it justice. His ears rang, though that became the least of his problems when he saw the ice princess' gaze. That nickname wouldn't work with her anymore with the fire in her eyes and the blood red glow on her face. She stood arms crossed over them, teeth clenched and panting.

Excuses sprang to mind, though nothing could get him out of this misunderstanding. Here he was, a seventeen year old young, growing, hormonal man, laying with a cute fifteen year old girl, with her cuddling against his chest. To make matters worse, she shifted occasionally. rubbing her warm breasts against his chest, and burrowing her head deeper into the crook of his neck, her mouth nearly touching it. Suppression wasn't exactly easy, you know. Especially under these circumstances.

"Arc, you will answer me right now, or so help me I will freeze you, and drop you from the top of the tower! What are you doing to my partner?" Weiss screeched.

Goodbye hearing. Jaune will miss you dearly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Blake. It was odd finally seeing her with her nose out of a book. It was even more surprising to see her book dangling from one hand, her eyes wide, mouth slightly agape. Yang, whom made him tense slightly on sight. stared similarly to Blake, though it looked like she was trying to suppress her laughter as well. Jaune's eye drifted down to Weiss' hand. In it was Myrtenaster, prepped and ready for a quick jab. He tensed, careful not to wake Ruby, red with embarrassment.

"Hold it! Wait! It's not what you think!" Jaune cried. She narrowed her eyes like a predator on the prey. "Um, okay. I know this is kind of an awkward situation, but if we just take it _easy!_ " Jaune had to duck as the point pierced the pillow.

Yang burst out laughing. Blake just stood there, blinking, barely comprehending the situation. Jaune was shivering in his boots, wondering how much red was going to end up on the sheets, but Yang intervened, placing a hand on Weiss' shoulder.

"Hold it there, Weiss-cream, I should've told you. Ruby gets real cuddly in her sleep. Like, real cuddly. He's not trying to corrupt her or anything if that's what you're on about. I mean, who would make such a big deal about that?" Jaune nearly forgot about his fear for a moment. He held his tongue though. She was the one currently holding a razor sharp rapier away from his pride. "At least try and cut him some slack. Let him get up and leave. And no back stabs!"

Weiss looked at Yang, then to Blake, who just shrugged, then to Jaune with such disdain in her eyes that he was surprised that her ice cold eyes hadn't froze him. With a sigh, she walked away, though she didn't put her sword away. Yang pushed the covers down to his waist, and gently pushed Ruby aside. It was quite a struggle trying to untangle her arms from him, but they managed to do it without waking her up. Yang offered the blonde knight a hand, though he shook his head, red faced.

"Could I just… wait here a bit longer?" Jaune asked nervously.

"Why? You were hoping she'd get cuddly again?" Yang teased.

"Not exactly, I just don't think it's a good idea for me to leave just yet. Could you give me a minute? Please?" Yang raised a brow, and tried to pull the sheets further down. Jaune yelped and yanked it back up again.

"I knew it! You are trying to corrupt her, aren't' you? I should have known you were capable of this." Weiss hissed.

"No, no, no! I swear, that's not it! Please don't stab me!" It was almost starting to go away. He just needed a little bit more time. Yang, after a while, finally understood Jaune's predicament, and nearly burst into laughter again. Her laugh was as odd as it was relieving. At the very least, she forgave him for last week, and was back to her teasing self around him. Maybe Ruby vouched for him. Maybe not. Maybe she just felt like throwing him a bone. Whatever it was, he wanted to keep her mood going as long as it could.

"I think we should let him stay here just a _liiiitle_ bit longer. Don't want us to show his Arc of Destruction, eh?" Yang said, wiggling her eyebrows. Jaune groaned. What was she doing? Weiss didn't seem to get it, or she just didn't care and wanted Jaune gone. Blake, for that matter, went a little stiff. Somehow, the two peaks of her ribbons twitched slightly, and there was a bit of red across her nose. Luckily, he kept his knee up so it visible. Though he knew nothing else could remedy this shit storm of a problem.

"What are you going on about? I will not have this boy stay in this room one second longer!" Weiss shouted, putting her foot down, pointing at the door. "Now out!"

"Um… Yang did say I could stay the ni-"

" _Out!"_

Jaune gulped. What other choice did he have? Carefully, he whipped the covers off, and rushed to the door, crouched over like some sort of hunchback. For added measure, he pulled the hem of his shirt over his pants, hoping nothing would seen. He was in for the clear until a small, cute yawn came from the little reaper.

"Leaving already?" Ruby said sleepily. "Okay, goodnight Jaune. And don't poke my waist. It tickles." And with that, she went back to sleep.

The room went silent.

"Oh, would you look at the time, I gotta go. Goodnight everybody!" Jaune said quickly, tugging open the door, slamming it closed behind him and running away as fast as he could for dear life. He didn't know if any of them were chasing him. All he knew was that the situation would be resolved by tomorrow. He just wanted to live long enough to see it.

Needless to say, sleep didn't come easy. One eye was kept open at all times, wary of every little sound. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but risks with the ice princess weren't things he liked to take anymore. The ceiling kept his interest all the way from midnight to the morning time. School was still out, and he couldn't be any happier. He was about ready to drop dead. He was surprised his dazed ass managed to find its way to the door. Pyrrha had hurried him back in, telling him he was missing his shirt.

Breakfast was spent with his head on the table, contemplating between solving his problems with his sister team, or forgoing that entirely and sleeping the entire day away right there on that table. Who cares what others thought. He needed sleep. When he was debating on the latter option, someone tapped on his shoulder, eliciting an annoyed groan from the knight.

"This is a bad time?" A familiar squeaky voice asked. Jaune immediately perked up. Lack of sleep be damned. He shot up to attention, back erect and legs bumping the underside of the table with his legs. Ruby sat beside him, head cocked.

"No, uh, what's up?" Jaune asked, forcing himself to stay awake.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked.

"Like a baby." Said the stumbling boy with the baggy, bloodshot eyes. They both sat awkwardly before Jaune tried to break the ice. "So, I tried coming over yesterday if you remember-"

"I know." She said quickly, fidgeting slightly with her dress.

Jaune's heart stopped. "How much did you here?"

"Everything."

"Oh." His entire world grinded to a halt. Ruby squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. Jaune hung on her every move, not moving an inch. "Well… what do you think?"

"I… don't know." She said honestly. "This never happened to me before. I just… don't know."

Jaune's heart sank faster than meteor. Jaune didn't need anymore words. Ruby's silence told tales. Her refusal to look him in the eye certainly didn't help. Dejected, he rose up from his seat, leaving his uneaten breakfast behind.

"Jaune-" Ruby began.

"Don't worry, it's no problem Rubes. I won't bother you anymore." He ignored Ruby's calls. He ignored his team. He ignored them all. His buzzing mind barely registered that he had nearly walked out of Beacon.

* * *

Hours had gone by. The small section of the Emerald Forest he had held himself in was filled with his strained grunts. Crocea Mors split the air, his shield tossed aside. There was nothing to strike anymore. The surrounding thin trees around him were destroyed. Some were nearly cut in half while others were smashed into splinters. Sweat poured down his body. He had no idea why he was fighting, or what the hell he was fighting at all. Tears? Maybe his own weakness? Agitation? Or maybe he just wanted to break something. It was odd because he wasn't angry. Just upset. Very upset. And he thought he had a good reason why.

What made it worse was his doubts. Deep down, he thought he had jumped the gun and left too soon. His own insecurities, fears, and weakness pushed him away once again, and prevented him from going back again. His mind drifted back to his mission. He didn't regret it. Not one bit. He would never take something like that back. What concerned him was Ruby's care. He loved it. Deep down, he hated the idea of it being platonic. Call him selfish if you must, that's how he felt. Her acceptance and affection meant a lot to him, and the fact that he blew it broke him.

With a loud cry, he striked down onto the stump of a fallen tree. It ended up buried halfway into the bark, stuck deep inside its base. He tried to pull it back out again, though it stayed stuck. Swearing under his breath, he tugged with all his leftover might, the hilt slipped out of his grip, and sent him stumbling back into the tree. Without his aura to protect him, due to his intense strike fest, the back of his head throbbed in pain, a bruise probably forming.

"Nice move, Vomit Boy." Yang said, surprising him.

"Yang? How'd you find me?" Jaune asked, eyes wide.

"How could I not? I could hear your racket from the training hall. Trees falling aren't quiet you know." Yang said, looking around. "Nice swings. This place needed a good trim. It'd say you did an _oak-kay_ job!" Jaune groaned. Not even his splitting headache could distract him from that horrible pun. She offered him an arm. "Get your ass up, Arc. You're going back."

Jaune cocked his head. Did Yang have some sort of hidden cloning semblance? He could've sworn that there was only one of her. Which hand was he supposed to take? He reached up, but only gribbed at air.

"Little to the left, Jaune." Yang said, chuckling.

"Affirmative." Jaune slurred, grabbing the right hand this time, and getting tugged to his feet. "What are we doing now? Going back?"

"That's right, Jaune." She whipped a hand across his luscious blonde hair.

"Why would I go back though. She kinda made it clear that-"

"Okay, before I get the depressing bullshit, I'm gonna say my piece first." She said, stopping Jaune with a wave of her hand. "I didn't like you at first. To be honest, I don't like anyone near my family. There all I have. After what happened last week, I was ready to snap your little next, and punch your corpse to kingdom come. I almost did when you asked for her to be your partner on the mission. But when I heard back, I heard of what you did. I didn't want to believe it, but I saw the scars. Most of them were avoidable. But you kept going on for her. I respect that, Arc."

"What's the use though. She doesn't like me back." Jaune said, downcasting his gaze. The grass suddenly looked a lot more interesting.

"Ugh, really?" She said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Do you know how excited she was when she could spend time with you? Face it. She likes you back. You know the problem here? You overwhelmed her. You forget, she's still young. She's never experienced something like this before. Its new to her, and it scares her. You really should've held off until was more sure of herself, but we can't do anything about it now. Just talk to her, and give her the time she needs." She slapped him on the back. "I going out on a limb here. Trust me, this ain't easy, but I'm willing to give you a chance."

Jaune was stuck in awe. Yang, the one girl he was afraid of for the longest time, was handing her sister over to him? Trusting him with someone she held so dear? He couldn't believe it. It almost felt like she had knocked him out, and this was just his wishful dreaming.

"Yang, I don't know what to say." Jaune said, mouth hung open.

"Just shut up and lets go. I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay here anyway. I think the forest hates your _tree-son_."

"Yang, stoooop" Jaune groaned.

"I would, but my decisions pretty _split._ " Yang said, her smirk growing.

"Yang, please."

"But I want to _branch out_ for more!"

"Alright Yang! I'll go!" Jaune said.

"Good. C'mon. Times-a-wastin'!"

Being dragged by the busty brawler, he found himself lost in thought again. At least until he tripped, and ended up being dragged to the school facefirst due to Yang not knowing or straight up not caring.

* * *

"Jaune, are you alright?" Pyrrha asked in her usual doting fashion. "You looked like you were dragged through a minefield!"

"I nearly was." He groaned back.

By the time he got back to the cafeteria, and Yang had noticed she what she was doing, Jaune looked like he had gone an alpha ursa, fist to fang. Nora was cackling madly, nearly breaking the table she was slamming her fist on. Ren looked too tired too calm her down and was more concerned with keeping his tea from falling off the table. Ruby was not around, launching another painful spike in his heart.

"Have you seen Ruby?" Yang asked.

"She went looking for Jaune, actually." Pyrrha said. "I think she was heading to our room." Jaune's head perked up. Taking a deep breath, he took off, faster than he ever before. It wasn't long before he reached his dorm room, though he stopped dead at the door, hand hesitant over the handle. HIs heart leapt to his throat.

What was he going to say? What was she going to say to him? So many problems that he didn't want to confront, but he knew he had to. He cared for Ruby, and he refused to leave this kind of uncertainty, and uncomfortableness between them. His eyes clenched shut. He gripped the door handle and flung it open. Ruby squeaked in surprise, shooting up from his bed.

"Jaune! When did you… I…" She cast her gaze aside, red faced.

"I, uh, heard you had something to say to me." Ruby pursed her lips.

"I…"

"Can I say something first though?" Jaune said quickly. Ruby cocked her head, then nodded. "Thanks. You got me through the mission, and I appreciate you so much. And…" He took a deep breath. "I like you a lot. And yes, I do want to be more than friends. I know I kinda forced it out of the blue, but… look, I've never done this sort of thing before and… Oum, this is so damn difficult. Look, I know that I'm still weak, but-"

"Jaune, stop." Jaune shut up instantly, shivering where he sat. Despite her command, she sounded more nervous than he did. "Stop doubting yourself. You're so much better than you think." She noticed Jaune's downcasting gaze. Confidence began to build in her tone. "Back on that mountain, did you know what you were doing?" Jaune shook his head slowly. "That Grimm wanted me. He tried to ignore you, but you wouldn't let him. Every swipe he took, you shielded me, and fought back. You fought when you could've easily ran. And if it weren't for you, I would be long gone."

She walked closer to him, her face growing redder, and her fingers squirming. "You've always been there for me. You were my first and only friend for a while. My age never mattered. You always treated me like everyone else. You're funny, cute, and yes, you're strong. You just don't know it yet. And…" She was close. Really close. Jaune could smell the strawberry and cookies in her breath. "I do want to give this a shot." She gulped then pecked his lips, sprinting out the door seconds afterwards.

It only lasted for a second, but every detail was already registered. The softness of his lips against his own, the taste of strawberries, her soft hand against his cheek. It was something he could never forget. His fingers brushed against his lips. He smiled.

"Lifes good, ain't it." Jaune said to himself.

* * *

 _ **And thus ends the Ruby Route. We'll get started with Weiss' route next time! Its not a harem if that's what you're wondering, its a simple reset. Or is it...**_

 _ **Sorry to everyone for making you wait, real lifes getting in the way. But hey, the stories not stopping so why should I? Please Review! And I'll see you all next time!**_


	10. Chapter 8: Tears of snow (Weiss Route)

Jaune opened his eyes, feeling like an entire eternity had passed him by without his knowledge, or memory to follow it. It was an odd feeling he couldn't place. Had he dozed off? Was there a wonderful dream that he had gone through, and he just couldn't remember it? Hadn't he been sitting here in this hallway the whole time, still debating on who to drag with him on this dangerous quest? Jaune ran a hand through his messy hair, stuck in thought. Where was he again? Hadn't he left already? It all felt so familiar, yet it didn't at the same time. The concept alone was throwing his brain into a raging twister of confusion.

Still addled, he stood up, trying to make sense of the strange sensations that he barely recalled. An ever present scent of flowers. Fingers rubbing against velvet. So many odd sensations that drove him mad as he couldn't remember any of it. He stared at the ceiling, sitting for much longer than he would have anticipated. Time passed. Jaune couldn't tell how long. Digging through memories felt like a chore at this point, so he decided to bury his troubles with snacks. The cafeteria still had to be open, right?

It wasn't long before Jaune took his first few steps towards the cafeteria before his evening shot into hell. Upon his first few steps, he kept tripping and kissing the floor, with one little trip up ending with him on the ground, with his rear in the air, face planted against the wall. Was it him, or were the walls sniggering at him? Was that a sigh he heard too? Since when could walls do that? He must really be losing it.

"Smooth move, fearless leader!" Came a familiar high voice. Nora came bounding out from the other side of the hall, grin as broad as could be. Jaune sighed. Definitely not what he needed right now. The girl was an amazing friend, and he'd never replace her, but Oum bless her, she was a pain to deal with.

"Calm down, Nora. People are just going to sleep." Ren said, taking his time walking down the hall to meet his partner. The Mellow Ninja regarded the fallen knight with a raised eyebrow. "Need help?"

Jaune shook his head, and pushed himself off the wall and back onto his feet. "What are you both still doing out here?"

Ren tried to get a word in, but as to be expected, Nora burst in. "Well, me and my unwavering partner were banished from our place of residence, disgraced and forgotten."

"Pyrrha wanted a second alone. Can't really tell you why, I didn't ask." Ren said as if he had already prepared it.

"We wondered the peaks and valleys of Beacon, starving, fighting for our lives until we found you, our fearless leader, who will in turn, lead us to salvation!" Nora ended her epic story, waving her hands about.

Ren let out an exasperated sigh, and spoke dully. "We paced the halls for a little bit until Nora started whining about being hungry, so we decided to go to the cafeteria.

"Heh, sounds about right. I was on my way there myself." Jaune said, scratching the back of his head.

"Where were you today?" Ren asked.

"What do you mean?"

"After class, you just up and vanished on all of us. Pyrrha looked like she was going to burst looking for you. All our calls got dropped, so how couldn't we be worried." Nora said, looking quite concerned at him. "That isn't like you. Don't you like us anymore?"

"What? Of course I do. I just needed some time alone, that's all." Jaune said quickly, bring that cheerful smile back onto her face.

"Great! Then on to snacks!" She ran off, leaving the two boys behind. Jaune chuckled, and turned to Ren.

"What time is it now?"

"About nine-thirty. Don't worry. A few more minutes and she'll be passed out." Ren said, relief peeking through his usual mellow tone. Nora was one for her weird habits and quirks, but one that struck out the most was her sleep patterns. She'd be dancing on the ceiling one minute, then, as if guided by a switch, was out like a light, and it would take a choir of gunfire just to get a peep out of her. It was always around this time that it would happen as well. The boys stood in a welcome silence for about a minute before Ren realized something. "Oh, by the way, I saw Weiss pass me by, heading down the hall that goes to the rooftop door. She looked distressed. Do you want to hear her out?"

Jaune's eyes widened. The Ice Princess? What could have gotten her so down? And what could Jaune do that someone else couldn't. After months of flirting, he'd practically driven all chances of socializing away, let alone trying to make her feel better. He had a much better chance trying to keep Ruby away from the cookie jar.

"I… don't know what I should do." Jaune said honestly.

"Just say something. She may need it." Ren said, then began his stoic trek back to his partner, once again taking his sweet time.

Jaune didn't waste time half-jogging, half-stumbling to go see the Ice Princess. Speeches upon speeches lined up in his head. Possible quotes, conversation topics, and many many more sooned joined them. Awkwardness was probably the last thing she needed. Confidence was the way to go, no matter how little he had. By the time he made it to the rooftop, he had a practical library of ideas in his head, and as soon as he saw her, it all burnt to ashes.

There she stood, scroll in hand, lost in it. The night was still, and silent. It almost felt like a sin to make a noise. Her back was turned to him. Surprisingly, she was still in her uniform, though that didn't detract from her beauty. Her porcelain skin glowed in the moonlight, as did her radiant hair. Carefully, the blonde stepped closer, taking precaution of every single noise. Inevitably though, he did mess up, and sneeze halfway over to her. She span, looking at him with widened eyes, clearly startled.

Jaune stood awkwardly, one foot still halfway off the ground. "Um… hi."

Smooth as butter.

Weiss clicked her tongue and turned her back on him. Jaune shrugged to himself. At least she acknowledged that he existed. That was a plus. Maybe he could work another miracle and get a word out of her. Still maintaining his 'stealthy' approach for reasons even he failed to come up with, he stood next to her, staring over the horizon, and leaned over the balcony.

"So um… nice weather eh?" Jaune nearly cringed at his own words. Why couldn't he be like Ren and know exactly what to say whenever he needed to say it. Weiss seemed to think that as well as she kept to her scroll, ignoring him. Maybe he should just cut to the chase. "I was wondering if you're okay."

"Yes." She said immediately. He was taken aback by how almost robotic she said it. Jaune pursed his lips. How to do this...

"I just… you don't look too good." Jaune stammered. Weiss just grunt back this time. Her eyes seemed red and swollen. She barely even tried to hide them. "Have you been crying?"

"Why do you care?" Weiss asked crossly, still refusing to look at him.

"Because I do. We all do. We're friends, aren't we?" Jaune said, smiling wryly. To Jaune's surprise, she whipped her head at him, glaring.

"Friends? With you? Don't make me laugh. If this is another petty attempt to get a date with me, then leave. I don't want you around!" She snapped. Jaune tried to get a word out, but she cut him off. "Oh don't think I don't know! You're just like Neptune! I'm just a prize to be one and showed off!" Tears trailed down her face. Jaune was at a loss for words, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Leave! Now!"

Jaune didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted to the door, and raced down the hall, not stopping until his own mind was settled. By the time he did finish, he was nearly at the entrance hall, panting. Propping himself against the wall, he stared at the ceiling, deep in thought.

Well, that was definitely a first. Sure she had been aggressive to him about his advances, but never to this level. Guilt built up in him. Had he really been acting like that this entire time? Had he been treating her like some sort of trophy to be won? Grumbling to himself, he ran a hand through his hair, and sighed.

He felt like garbage.

On the other hand, that couldn't have been what was making her so upset. The marks and redness in her eyes told him that she had been crying long before he showed up. He couldn't help but be concerned. Though what could he do about it? Weiss didn't even want him around. And what was this about Neptune? Jaune thought they got on alright. Or did they? Did something happen?

He was broken out of his thoughts by his scroll ringing. Who on Remnant would be calling him at this time of night? When he fished it out of his pocket, he saw Ozpin's picture, and felt a chill run down his spine. He forgot about finding a partner! How could he be so stupid? He could've asked Ren of all people, he was right there! Resigning to his fate, he answered.

"Ah Mr. Arc. I thought you'd still be up and about." Ozpin said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Though I must know why."

Jaune shrugged. "I just felt like walking. Needed to clear my head."

"Understandable. There is quite a weight on your shoulders. Talking of which, who will be your partner?" Jaune pursed his lips again, beginning to shake. Should he tell him the truth, and that he hadn't found one yet? If he did, he could be expelled on the spot, something that could tear his life asunder. He found himself stammering slightly, unsure of what to say. Ozpin stared stoically at him through the process, and silenced him with one quick statement. "You haven't found one, have you?"

To his own surprise, he chuckled ruefully. "Yeah, you got it. I messed up."

That's it then, right? He just packs his bags and he's out by morning? How should he break this to his team? To Pyrrha? To his sister team? To his own family? Jaune was just waiting for those final, decisive words that would tear him apart, but they didn't come. Ozpin stared at him for quite a bit, expression deep in contemplation. The thick, electric tension continued on until Ozpin finally spoke.

"I suppose I can help you." Jaune immediately perked up. "But it will come with a price." The young man didn't care. He would gladly take it as long as he had something of a saving grace to cling to.

"What is it, sir? I'm up for anything!" Jaune said a little too loudly.

"Do you know of the situation regarding Ms. Schnee?" Jaune shook his head. "Well, as a request from her family, she is to return home for an unspecified amount of time. When I received the notification, I had been told that she would return when the situation regarding her has been taken care of."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with me?" Jaune asked.

"As I have stated, I have know knowledge of the situation surrounding her, though I have reason to believe she may in danger because of it." Ozpin said, eyes narrowing.

Jaune felt himself tremble. "What kind of danger?"

"That's what I intend to find out, and you are going to help me." He took another sip, straightened himself and continued. "You are to accompany her on this trip. You are to investigate and relay information to me. Simple enough, correct?"

Jaune blinked. "Me? You're asking me to do detective work?"

"That's the idea." Ozpin said as if it were the bare minimum of common sense.

"Sir, I don't know if you've noticed or not, but if I can't find, or point out obvious things, how can I ever be a detective?" Jaune asked desperately.

"It'll be easier than you think."

Jaune sighed. There was no saying no to this man, was there? And even if he could, was the answer no even an option anymore? "Alright then. When will she be leaving?"

"Six next morning. I suggest you get some rest. Goodnight." And with that, the eccentric principle hung up. Jaune beat the back of his head into the wall behind him. Of all the quests, why this? Why? He was no detective. Hell, finding trying to find his socks in the morning was practically trekking a mountain in itself. Although he did have hope. This could be his last chance, and he'd be damned if he was going to take it.

All he had to worry about now getting some sleep.

Uggghhhh!

Three in the morning. Three in the morning is when the beautiful goddess that was sleep had finally taken him under her embrace, only to push him away again after that awful beeping noise. What the hell even was that? He opened his eyes, and glared at his alarm clock. Screw that thing. Screw it to the depths of hell and let it stay there. The clock read five fifteen. At the very least, he woke up when he was supposed to.

Groaning loudly, he forced himself up, noting his teammates were all still asleep. After a quick shower, he changed into his normal attire, clipped Crocea Mors to his hip, and walked out, leaving a note behind. After stumbling sleepily to the airstrip, he found Weiss prepped and ready, her back once again to him. The normally flustered young man barely mustered a good morning before sitting down on the strip, rucksack at his side, waiting for the airship. He didn't know why, as her appearance alone made him a stuttering mess normally. Maybe it was the situation, or maybe because he was just, in the true words of Yang Xaio-Long, not in the mood for this shit.

The silence followed for nearly twenty minutes until the airship finally arrived. Jaune grimaced. He could already feel that pretzel he grabbed on the way out prepping itself to fly back out again. They both boarded, and Weiss had taken it upon herself to move to the other side of the airship, and laid across a bench, staring at her scroll. He couldn't really blame her now, considering how much of his insides were going into the trashcan.

After calming down slightly, he downed a handful of mints and dared himself to sit near the girl. Staring at the ground, he sighed, wanting to get this off of his chest. "Look Weiss, I know you don't like me. I've given you plenty of reason not to. You're right. I did treat you like a trophy. I'm sorry, it'll never happen again, I swear. You deserve more than that. More than me. Just…" He took a deep breath. "Talk to me. At the very least, just talk to me. I really do want to be your friend, so please just… Weiss?"

After taking another bated breath, he realized that Weiss wasn't moving except for her rhythmic breath bobbing her body up and down. Was she… sleeping? Jaune sighed. It made sense. She had probably gotten much less sleep than he did. He sighed. So much for that.

An idea formed in his head. Carefully, he undid his armor, took off his hoody, and draped it across her. She was small enough that it worked well makeshift blanket that fit down to her knees. He opened his mouth to say more, though he felt his stomach gurgle again.

"Dammit, not again!" Jaune croaked before raising to the bathroom this time, and throwing up again.

Curse motion sickness. Curse it!

* * *

Weiss blinked, repeating every word Jaune had spoke to her. The weight and warmth of his hoody became more apparent to her. When he draped it over her, she was half tempted to fling it back into his face. What stopped her, she would never know.

So that annoying, pestering idiot felt guilty? That was… something she wasn't expecting. Those words still rang in her ears. Another friend. Someone who cared about her, and not her status. The idea seemed crazy, but not implausible. She would just have to wait and see. And maybe… thank him for the blanket...

* * *

 _ **Now, I know some of have been wondering where I've been. Well... I'm moving to a different country... so yeah, sorry for the wait.**_

 _ **Please Review!**_


	11. Chapter 9: Biting Back (Weiss Route)

Hours had passed since the beginning of their journey. Weiss had yet to get up, though Jaune had sneaking suspicion that she wasn't asleep. Many times over, she had tossed and turned, pulling his hoodie along with her, nearly entangling herself with it. Whether on purpose or not, Jaune couldn't deny how cute it was. Tempted as he was to stroke a hair out of her face, he kept his hand away. What if the ice princess were to take up, and make him into a pincushion?

He sighed. What was he doing? Fawning over a girl that's way out of league? Trying to pry away and get her attention? Sounds just about right. Carefully, as not to agitate his stomach, he stood up, and stretched. Maybe a drink would calm him down. Before he could get one however, the intercom blared out loudly, forcing out a piercing screech.

"Hello. We apologize for any inconvenience, but we will be experiencing some major turbulence in the next few minutes. Please strap yourself in, and brace yourself." It said.

Jaune groaned, rubbing his ringing ears. To make matters worse, he had turbulence to worry about? His stomach was about to wage another war. Almost as if on cue, entirety of the shake in spurts, rocking and jerking the entire airship. As expected, he nearly puked his guts out on the spot. His vision began to double, the dizziness mixing in with the nausea. Somehow, he managed to keep himself composed, and keep it all in until the rocking finally stopped.

"Am I dead yet?" Jaune mumbled, cupping his mouth. Jaune looked down to Weiss, surprised to see that she was still 'sleeping'. Jaune clicked his tongue, feeling annoyed. "Oh come on. You can at least pretend that I'm here." Weiss shifted around, though didn't respond. "Look, I get it. I'm totally the worst guy you've ever known, but were stuck together for Oum knows how long, so can we just talk or something? Anything?" Weiss didn't move a muscle this time. Jaune clicked his tongue, finally losing his patience. "Fine. Be that way. I'm getting some air."

With that, he walked away, almost shocked of himself. What a twist this was. Never before did he imagine that he would lose patience with the Ice Queen. For the last few months, it had been Jaune that had been chipping away at her patience, but now, he could barely stand to be near her. Irony couldn't even begin to explain it. Feeling so distracted with himself, he didn't notice that he had walked outside, and was leaning against the railing.

Why was he even trying? He couldn't get a read on her no matter how hard he tried, like a puzzle he couldn't solve. He was close to giving up entirely. He stared over the horizon, as if that would somehow give him an answer on what to do.

The door opened behind him. He turned, and saw Weiss, staring blankly back at him, hoodie still wrapped around her shoulders. "Oh, hey. You're up. That's good." He said dully.

"Hello Arc." Weiss said stiffly.

Jaune blinked. Did she just speak? And it wasn't an insult or demand? Jaune scanned the skies again. Nope. No apocalyptic fire and brimstone. This was actually happening. He cleared his throat. "So, how are you feeling."

"Rather queasy, but I'll be fine, thank you." She said stiffly. They stood in silence for about ten minutes, staring peacefully over the horizon. Motion sickness didn't bother him much, luckily. Maybe it was because he felt more at ease. Stress always brought out the worst in him, or so he thought. He turned and was surprised to see Weiss staring at him, pale blue eyes mixing with his deep blue. "Arc."

"Uh, yeah? What's up?" Jaune asked.

"I would like to apologize." She said slowly.

"Apologize? For what?" Jaune asked, shocked that the prodigious Weiss Schnee would ever say such a thing to him.

"For how I treated you. On this journey so far, you've been nothing but kind to me, even to the point of giving me your hoodie, and I've beat you down. It wasn't fair on you." She shifted uncomfortably, her voice breaking every so often. Something told him that she wasn't used to this. "I mustn't take my anger out on you. It's not right, and you deserve much better."

"Weiss…" Jaune was at a complete loss for words.

"It's just… my family requires much from me. A little too much at times. That is the reason we are both on this homebound trip after all. Just please, no matter what they say, don't reflect it towards me." She said. Her face was placid, apathetic even, but the sorrow behind those eyes… It was maddening that he couldn't help her with whatever hurt her so.

"I… yeah." Jaune said, smiling broadly at her. "Whatever you need. Don't worry, I'll be there for you."

"Will you now?" Weiss asked skeptically.

"Of course." Jaune fired back firmly. "We are friends after all."

Weiss turned from him, though he could see remnants of a smile on her face before her back faced him. Satisfied, Jaune leaned over the railing again, staring over the open skies. The sky looked just a bit more beautiful than it did before. He barely noticed his bag slipping off his shoulders, and falling to the floor, a few things clattering out of it.

"Ah jeez." Jaune moaned, bending down to pick it up.

"Clumsy oaf." Weiss commented, though she bent down to help him. She looked confused, and even humored by what she found, much to his dismay. "Why do you have babies shampoo?"

"It uh… it keeps my hair soft! And its cheap y'know?" Jaune stuttered nervously, taking the pink bottle back, and stuffing it carelessly in his back.

"And the onesie?"

"That? I-I just… um… I'll just take that." Jaune said, taking it back and shoving it back in as well, completely red in the face. Just when Jaune felt his luck couldn't get any worse, Weiss picked something up that made his heart sink.

A doll. A bunny doll no less.

Jaune all but snatched it out of her hands, shoved it into the small pocket of his rucksack, made sure all of it was secure, than slung it back into the building, hoping she didn't get a good look at it. Her shocked face told him that she did. Jaune gulped.

"Was that what I think that was?" She asked.

"Please don't tell anyone!" Jaune croaked, trying to keep his composure.

Weiss sighed. "Am I being aided by a child?"

Jaune's head hung. Oh the shame…

Weiss let a little laugh out before covering her own mouth, surprised at herself. Jaune stared at her, and Weiss looked away, red in the face. "What on Remnant are you staring at, Arc."

"N-Nothing!" Jaune croaked, turning away, and staring over the skies again. "Actually, I was curious about something. What am I doing here anyway?"

"Professor Ozpin never told you? You are to be my attendant. Nothing more, nothing less. You are to help me fight when necessary, help when also necessary, and anything else I could need." Weiss said, not looking at him.

Jaune blinked. Was that was this was about? "So, you didn't need a partner, you needed some kind of lackey?"

"That was not in my intention to imply that, but you are to help me out with whatever I may need. It is required of me to have one attendant after all. You'll be at my side, agreeing with me, and keeping silent when I need you to." Weiss said stiffly.

"So, a lackey then." Jaune said, narrowing his eyes. Weiss turned further away from him, and stared at the wall. The young knight shook his head in complete disbelief. Of course that was the case. This was Weiss he was talking about. Anger rose in him, something he never thought he'd feel for the heiress. "Is that all you think of me?" Her back was still turned to him, adding more fuel to his fire. At least look him in the eyes dammit!

"Listen Arc, you agreed to this trip. I have requirments, and those who require things of me. That's just how this works. And let's face it, you're not good at combat. If you can't help me with that, then the most you can do is everything else. You're here to help me, do I make myself clear?" Weiss said firmly, still refusing to look him in the eyes. Jaune gripped the bar so hard, his fingers bent imprints into the metal. He came with her, thinking nothing else but her safety and happiness, only to be used.

"...Chrystal." Jaune said in one of the lowest, scathing tones Weiss had ever heard.

"Arc…" She said, finally turning to him.

Jaune shook his head, gritting his teeth. He had enough. After a few minutes, Weiss said a brisk goodbye before marching stiffly back into the airship, slamming the door behind her. He didn't go after her. Let her run. The young knight shrugged, and continued staring over the open skies, wondering when his motion sickness would strike again when he spotted something. A small shroud of darkness just under a cloud.

Jaune narrowed his eyes. A correlation of black and white poked through the fluffy white surface, splitting it apart down the middle. The cloud began to part, revealing what was underneath little by little. The tip. A bat like wings. A forked tail whipping back and forth. His heart skipped a beat. Was that a Grimm? Clouds still surrounded its form. It was almost impossible to make anything else out. The only thing that stood out next was the largest hand that he had ever seen, coated with black and red, brandishing claws that looked like rapiers.

The moment he saw them, Jaune jumped back, screaming at his own throbbing head. His vision blurred, and went double, sweat covering his face.

Through the darkness of his closed eyes, visions fired across, practically smacking into him. Blood. Lots of it. So much pain, yet not a single ounce of hesitation, or remorse. A hoarse roar that shook him to his core. What… what is this? What the hell is this? Was he going mad? His fingers ran through his hair, nails digging into his scalp. Then suddenly, it stopped, visions, pain and all.

Jaune opened his eyes. The sky was clear, and nothing was piercing the clouds. "What… what the-" He was cut abruptly by the destructive churning in his stomach. A familiar heat rose up in his throat. He bent over the railing and vomited over the side, his body rippling with vicious convulsions. Some of his sick had spilled onto the side of the airship. The people who work on them wouldn't be to happy with him when they landed.

Jaune, still stressed, spitting and gasping, spun onto his heal, wrenched open the door, and sprinted into the airship. Nausea weakened him, making him lean against the walls, and drag himself back to the main area. He layed over the row of chairs, and stared at the ceiling. Weiss wasn't there. At the very least, he could get some peace so he could register what the hell just happened.

The black winged thing. It terrified him to no end, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. How could he though? He had never seen anything like it before. He couldn't get a full glance at the creature, but he somehow imagined his blood on its claws along with the crippling, excruciating pain that came with it. Confused, and stricken, he rolled over to his side, letting his dangle over the edge. A familiar set of rhythmic clicks made him groan.

"Do you mind, Arc?" Weiss said in a huff.

"I do, actually. Find somewhere else to sit." Jaune shot back. Weiss reared back in surprise. Not only had refused to let her sit, he said it in the same scathing tone her had used earlier on her. No patience, or willingness to let her close. Had the tables turned on her? Even so, she wouldn't have it. Her emotions told her to stop. Her pride told her that this boy needed to learn his place.

"I suggest you don't use that tone with me again, Arc." Weiss said in a low voice.

"And I suggest you find a different seat. I'm not in the mood to talk to you." Jaune replied, nearly surprised at his own attitude. He hadn't spoken like this to anyone, save Cardin.

"Arc!"

"What are you gonna do about it? Freeze me? Stab me? Don't you need some kind of servant following you around? That is how you rich folk work. Just tell me when we arrive so I can be done with this and move on." Jaune growled, rolling back and staring at the the back of his chair. Before she could say anything, he cut her off. "And the names Jaune by the way. I don't know if I've told you that already, not that you'd pay attention."

"What is the matter with you?" Weiss asked.

"What the hell do you think?" Jaune muttered back.

"You're so pale, and you shaking. Have you thrown up?"

"What do you care?"

Weiss sighed. She wasn't getting anywhere with him. So that's what that feels like. "Fine. We are nearly there, so be prepared. Don't dally when we land. My father would want to meet you when we arrive."

Jaune grunted, though nothing else. Weiss turned heel and walked off to collect her belongings, leaving Jaune alone with his thoughts. Practically seething, and sick, he clutched his stomach in an attempt to quell the aching inside. Those memories seemed to have left its mark as well, leaving a throbbing headache. He should probably mention this to somebody.

Then again, who cared? Not that family, not the guards or butlers, not even Weiss, so why should he bother?

The landing was slightly rough. The shaking and rocking had made a mess out of him. Pushing himself off of his makeshift bed, he landed on the floor, on his side. One again, butter smooth. He didn't want to get up, but Weiss' heel on his shoulder caught his unwanted attention.

"Get up, Arc. It's time to go." Weiss said expectantly.

"Give me five more minutes. I'll be there when I get to it." Jaune muttered into the floor.

"No, you'll get up now. My family needs to see you as well. Unless you don't want a place to sleep for the next few weeks." Weiss said, rubbing a heel over his shoulder blades. Jaune groaned, pushing himself up. Luckily, his stomach ache had died down, as well as the nausea, so doing so wasn't as much of a war as he thought it would be.

After collecting his rucksack, he walked to the entryway. When he opened it, a group of well-dressed, black suited butlers rushed in, nearly knocking the young knight over. To avoid being trampled-which was a battle in itself in the seemingly endless crowd of butler's- he pushed himself flat against the wall, and slowly inched his way out, squeezing past a few of them, and jumping onto the landing pad.

It was then that he saw the manor, though it wasn't much a manner as it was a castle. The pristine white and blue walls, beautiful gardens, and small waterspouts dotted every which way almost painted a picture of royalty. Jaune stared, no, gawked at what only gods would call a house while butler's pulled Weiss' luggage out of the airship, and tended to the heiress' every whim, following her while she walked in silence. She looked oddly like this was the last place she wanted to be.

Jaune shrugged, and walked next to her, fighting his way past the cloud of the butlers. When the entered, Jaune was once again taken aback by what he saw. Just like the outside, it was lined with white and blue walls, with some of the most comfortable looking furniture and intricate cutlery he had ever seen. It truly felt like he was entering a royal castle. The atmosphere felt off though. He felt uneasy, cold and a little caged in. The moment he stepped in, he felt the urge to step back out again.

Weiss turned to one of her attendants. "Where is my father?" She asked.

"The master is off at Maxine's. We expect he'll be back Within the next two days. Might we ask who this is?" He asked gesturing to Jaune. There was an annoyed edge in his voice that made his skin crawl.

"Jaune Arc. He will be my attendant for the remainder of this trip." She said almost as an afterthought. Jaune bit back a snort.

"Well, we will see that he is properly situated. Is he needed at the moment? We do need to speak to your father on the phone. He'll want to need you're here."

"No. You may leave, Arc." And they all walked off, leaving Jaune alone and angry in the middle of the foyer. Of all the things he had to go through, it had to be this? He was a hunter-in-training, not some kind of servant. What the hell was he doing here anyway? What debt did he owe her? It took several angry moments for him to remember why he was here.

Ozpin was concerned about her for Oum knows why. Who would be miserable or in need in a castle like this, filled with servants who would answer your beck and call at any time? With an aggressive sigh, he turned and walked towards the door so he could get some air. A hand on hi shoulder stopped him.

"Might I ask where you're going, young man?" A kind, twinkle-eyed man asked. The man was slightly overweight, and balding, with the most bushy mustache that he had ever seen. His suit was just like any normal butler, with a black suit jacket, white button-down shirt, and black slacks, with a pocket watch in one pocket. Those kind brown eyes made it impossible for Jaune to snap at him.

"I just… need some air." Jaune said, trying to brush off the old man, but he proved persistent.

"I believe that our lady has told you why you're here." The old man said almost sadly.

"Yeah. I mean, yes sir." He said, tripping over his words. The old man waved him off with a chuckle.

"No need to be formal with me, young man. You may call me Klein. I am the leading butler of this establishment, at your service." Klein said, bowing his his head curtly, hand over his chest. Jaune found himself stuttering. He had no idea what to say to this.

"Um thank you… Klein. My names Jaune Arc if you haven't heard already" Jaune said uncomfortably.

"Actually, I do have one request for you, Jaune." Klein said,

"What is it?"

"I do not even have to ask to know that you are rather angry with your friend." Jaune nearly did snort this time. Friend? Is that what they call it over here. "I must ask you to please be more lenient and understanding of her. I do know she has friends in Beacon, but you are different. I don't know how, but you are. Apart from you and her partner, she's never really had a true friend before."

"Never?" Jaune said, frozen.

"Yes. Never. I'd wager my watch that you are the first friend she has ever brought here. She has yet to truly experience what this feels like, barring of course, her partner. I want you to show her what it feels like." Klein said, no, it almost felt like a plea.

"I… yeah." Jaune answered nervously.

"Thank you. I will show you to your room. Please come with me."

As the too began to walk, Jaune couldn't help but think about Klein's words. She never had any friends. None whatsoever until she hit Beacon. He actually felt sorry for her, even beyond the anger he felt. Maybe what Klein said was true. She didn't know what it felt like, or how to talk to them.

Maybe he could make this work. It would take a miracle, but he could do this. All it was going to take was a little patience. And patience was just what he was going to give her. 


	12. Chapter 10: Lost and found (weiss route)

The tour of Schnee manor was over before it began, or so it felt. Everything was so rushed and hasty that he had a hard to keeping his bearings. Perhaps it was only by luck of the gods that he managed to memorize everything. His head was still throbbing even now, trying to process everything.

Trying to occupy Jaune's mind was a mission in itself. It didn't strike him how much he wouldn't be doing when he arrived at Schnee manor. He thought there would be a mountain's worth of things to do, but after sitting for hours on end, twiddling his thumbs, he realized what'd he be doing for the next for weeks. Sitting and waiting. It wasn't long before nightfall hit, and Jaune realized how many brain cells he was killing by staring out the window for hours on end.

"Forget this." Jaune muttered, pushing himself out of his and opening his door, where he froze in place. Was this really a good idea? Getting caught wandering in the house of one of the most influential and powerful men in Remnant wasn't part of Jaune's bucket list. Not to mention, Weiss would have his head on a pike if she found him snooping. Who knows how much trouble he could get in.

He shrugged. What did it matter? He was already in deep enough as it was. How could he get any deeper than this? Slowly, he pushed to door open, and marched down the quiet hall.

No one passed him in his lonely trek. Jaune couldn't help but feel sad. The walls were like that of a fort. Impenetrable, and intimidating. He felt like they were closing in on him, threatening to suffocate him. Not even a day in the manor, and he already felt caged in and wanted to leave. He could understand why Weiss wanted so desperately not to come back, and lamented the thought of it.

Ten minutes gone by, and there was still nobody in sight. Had everyone gone home? The darkness of the castle-like manor seemed all too real, almost like was seeing things. Shadows moved in random places, shifting and morphing. He blinked. His eyes must've been playing tricks on him. They had to be. He shook his head furiously, and carried on, wishing secretly that he never left his room at all.

More time went by. Jaune grew more desperate. Wasn't he just in this hallway five minutes ago? They were all starting to blend in. He cursed. No. He thought he had memorized it. Great, now he was lost. Annoyance set in much more than panic did. Of course he would get lost. Why wouldn't he be lost. He was Jaune Arc of course. Who would expect otherwise. He tried to throw away his aggressive thinking, though it stuck around, practically taunting him with his own stupidity.

After turning a corner, he noticed his saving grace. A strip of light peered from the doorway. Jaune grinned. Finally, some hope. Whoever was in there, he could ask for directions back to his room. Hopefully, there wouldn't be that many questions of what he was doing out so late.

Jaune jogged rather awkwardly, trying to be quiet and fast, and hid by the crack of the door. When he peered inside, he suppressed a scream and bounced back onto his rear. Inside was Weiss, sitting on her bed, presumably drying her bare body off after a shower. Jaune pushed himself against the wall, red faced, and heart pounding.

Of all the times to find her, why now? Mind you, he didn't see much, save her bare back, though even that was burned into his vision. Jaune gulped. What the hell was he doing? Did she hear him? Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! What if she heard him? He'd be wearing a scarf of his own entrails if she did.

Jaune waited, lips pursed and body sweating and quivering against the wall, hoping to whatever god was looking over him that the door would not open. When it didn't, he took a breath realizing he hadn't in awhile. Good. She didn't notice him. She was probably dressed by now. He hoped she was dressed by now. When he crept by the door again, multiple things happened in quick succession, so fast that Jaune barely realized what was happening.

The loud ring of a grandfather clock shook the young knight to his core, Jaune shrieked, diving forward directly into the door, forcing it open. Weiss span around, and shrieked in alarm as well. Jaune hit the floor, rubbing his head. Jaune looked at Weiss. Weiss looked at Jaune. She held a towel tightly against her bare body, but he'd already seen enough.

Dead silence. Neither made a move. You could hear a pin drop.

"Oh no." Jaune squeaked.

In a mad tangle, he scrambled up to his feet, and tried to rush out the door, though he didn't make it two feet before it slammed shut, and a black glyph showed up over the lock. The door wouldn't budge after that. He span for a dash to the window, then screeched to a halt as the tip of her rapier was pointed right at the center of his face. Weiss was fuming, red in the face, and glaring, gripping her towel tightly.

"Arc." She said in a dangerously polite tone.

"Meep." Jaune croaked.

"You have one minute to explain yourself before I freeze you, and drop you off the top of the manor."

"I-I…"

"Fifty five…"

"Alright! Alright! I got bored and walked around the house! I got lost, and found your room because yours was the only one with a light on! The bell rang and I panicked! I wasn't peeping on you, I swear! Please don't freeze me!" Jaune begged, practically on his hands and knees.

Weiss looked him up and down, eyes narrowed on him. "You swear?"

"Arc's honor!" Jaune exclaimed, holding a hand to his heart.

Weiss sighed. "Then I'll let it go. For now." As odd as the boy was at times, she did have reason to trust his word. Plus, he didn't look like the type to behave like that. "Though, if you would please step out until I finish changing." Her voice still had its commanding edge, though the embarrassment was there, plain as day.

"Um, yeah, of course." Jaune said, spinning and racing out the door, nearly tripping on the door frame and closing it. There was a certain amount of hesitance, but he could hear the rustling of her clothes. It was a five minute slog before Jaune heard her on the other side.

"You can come in now."

Jaune took a deep breath, and opened the door, the image of her bare body still burned into his mind. Heart pounding and red faced, he stood there, shuffling his feet, and staring at the floor. Weiss sighed, and beckoned him forward.

"Are you coming in or not?" she asked. The blonde knight nodded slowly, and closed the door behind him. She pointed towards her bed, something that made Jaune nearly bounce back. "Sit down, please."

He did as he was told, though when she sat next to him, Jaune couldn't find the words to say. He was absolutely stunned, being alone with Weiss in her room felt like a dream come true, but the room itself gave him chills. Outlined in pure alabaster white walls around a room so large that it could be considered its own house, there were amenities and furniture that seemed to be made for someone of royalty. A lovely computer desk, cloud-like queen sized bed, and a walk in closet that Jaune could presume was bigger than his own room back home.

As beautiful as this room was, it was deathly sterile and lifeless. No paintings or posters adorned the wall, nor any pictures or photos on the desktops, or bedside table. Everything was impossibly clean, not a speck of dust in sight, along with a perfectly well made bed that stayed perfect even with the both of them sitting on it. The only shred of identity the room had was the Schnee emblem painted against a large portion of the wall just opposite of them.

There was no Weiss in this room. Only Schnee.

Weiss looked distant, nearly apathetic, staring at the walls of her window. She looked like a bird, wanting to fly out into the night. "If you're not going to say anything, then I have a question for you. And I expect a good answer."

"What is it?" Jaune asked, head drifting up, and staring at the large ceiling.

"Why are you still in Beacon?" Weiss asked. Jaune seized up. She kept composed, knowing how big of a nerve she could have possibly struck. Recollections of their airship trip here was still prevalent in her mind.

"Why do you want to know." Jaune asked, biting back the cold retort he was planning. Somehow, all the anger he had felt from the airship bounced back. It was almost like a trigger.

"You know why." She replied plainly.

Jaune sighed. "I wanted to help people, and bring a little more honor to the Arc name."

"Quite a long way to go, I take it. You may want to reconsider doing this at all." Weiss said stiffly. Just then, surprising Weiss, Jaune shot up from the bed, fuming.

"Look, all I wanted was for a little bit of direction back to my room. We could've forgone the insults. I know I'm not much, but I'm not a damn punching bag, and I'm not a servant. Don't treat me like one!" He said angrily. As Jaune went to storm out of the room, he stumbled and felt his loosely balanced wallet fall out of his pocket, along with all of his change. Weiss said nothing, only stared. Jaune growled. "No need to say anything, I'm picking it up."

"That's not... " Weiss sighed. "I was looking at your photo's. Who are they?"

"Hmm? Oh." After he picked up all the change, he hesitantly walked back to the bed, and laid a small row of pictures for her to see. "This is my family. Not much in terms of nobility, I know, but we weren't exactly famous for being rich." He said wistfully.

"Care to tell me about them?" Weiss asked, staring at the selection.

"Not much to tell really. I had seven sisters, a mother, a father, and this little guy right here that my youngest sister dubbed 'Barkington'" He said, stifling a snigger, pointing at the rather large dog nuzzling against a child that she could only presume was Jaune. It was weird seeing him so small. Jaune noticed this, smiling blissfully at the memories. "Yeah, I was a runt way back when. How I got so tall, I'll never know."

Weiss continued to nod until something Jaune said struck her. "You had seven sisters?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yup. Dealing with all of them was its own adventure sometimes." He smiled at the family photo of all of them, some leaning on their titan of a father, others, like Jaune, cuddled against their mother. He started pointing down the list of the, presumably by age. "That's Reyna, Mila, Gabriel, Joan, Kairi, Janis, and Iris." the last one he pointed to was a girl that looked no older than four, in the arms of Jaune who looked about fifteen, and finally getting some height on him. She looked so content, nuzzled just under his chin like a little kitten.

"So that's you're family." Weiss said, gaze almost wistful as she stared over them. They all looked so happy…

"Yeah. Like I said, not much to them." Jaune said, tucking to photo's away. "My father was a hunter, and my mother convinced him to get out of that business for his own safety. Can't really blame her. He was a little on the reckless side, and kept getting into unnecessary danger. Mom wanted the same thing for me, but I refused, and ended up leaving with the family sword."

Weiss picked up on the shame in his tone. "And?"

Jaune took a deep breath. "Nothing else. Nothing at all." The ice princess shook her head. While she wanted to know more, there was doubt in her mind that he'd tell her. Trying to break away from his past, he changed the subject. "What about your family? I mean, I know you guys are famous, but-"

"I don't want to talk about it." She snapped out of the blue. Jaune bounced in surprise, staring at her with widened eyes. "Don't ask me again, understand Arc?"

"Crystal clear!" Jaune said, hands up in defense. A short silence passed before Weiss spoke up again.

"I apologize. That was immature of me."

"Um, okay." Jaune replied awkwardly.

"And also, I want to break this misconception you have of your job here. While you are here to assist me, it is only for appearance. You're here to help me with whatever comes. You are not a slave, or some sort of 'lackey' and I…" She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry if I made it seem so. I do see you as a friend, more now than ever before. Would you kindly help me through this visit?"

Jaune was completely aback. An apology, forced out or not, from Weiss? Again? What's the world coming to? His anger was dwindling away. She considered him a friend? After all this? It was honestly quite a shock. Jaune smiled warmly to her.

"Uh, yeah. It's fine, don't worry about it. I just have to ask you something." Jaune said.  
"What is it?"

"Could you not be so formal with me? It's kinda awkward, y'know. I'm not exactly noble material, am I?" He said, chuckling.

"I suppose not. Well, I hope this is the start of something great. Thank you so much for your help."

"No problem! What are friends for, eh?" He cast a small gaze over the room again before asking, "So… those directions?"

"Ah… You're not that far away actually. It's just in the hallway to your right when you leave this room. How long were you walking around?"

"Uh… about an half an hour." Jaune muttered. So he had been wondering in one big circle…

Why couldn't he have a Semblance that told him where he was going?

She sighed. "Well, that does sound like you. I'd appreciate it if you stopped by every so often, though it would have to be at night. I do need someone to talk to. Just knock next time."

"Got it. Thanks, Goodnight!" He ran out the door, closing it behind him, presumably getting lost afterwards.

Weiss laid back on her bed, staring at the ceiling, already missing the blonde idiots company. His presence was oddly warm, reassuring even. It made her feel like her hell of a manor wouldn't be too bad. She took a risk casting away her pride, and it paid off in spades. He didn't mock her, or demean her. He took her kindness in turn, despite everything, and agreed to help her.

Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought.

* * *

 _ **Yeah, quite a mixture of things extended this wait time for you guys. Moving to a new country, settling in said country, new school, new friends, new assholes, that jazz. Also, this giant middle finger known as PROCRASTINATION!**_

 _ **My apologies.**_

 _ **Anywho, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review what you think of this chapter, and of the story overall! It really helps me out, and inspires me to make more! Thank you, and goodnight.**_


	13. Chapter 11: A Little Trust (weiss route)

_**Writers block SUUUUUUUCKS!**_

* * *

Training was always the best way to pass the time. Swinging a sword in perfect harmony with nature felt like the best way to relieve the tension and stress building up in Jaune after these past few days. The courtyard was probably the biggest, and most lively part of the Schnee residence, and, oddly enough, one of the few places of genuine serenity and peace he could find. It provided a great place for some early morning exercise without being disturbed.

The morning sun beamed down on his burning neck. His heavy armor lay abandoned in the grass, along with his gauntlets and greaves. It was too hot to wear them, and dying of heat stroke wasn't the best way to go. The fresh smell of green grass and flowers were overtaken by his salty sweat. Jaune's grunts destroyed the silence, along with the sound of his sword whistling through the air.

This was it. His environment. His normal. Enough with sitting and waiting, letting others do the work for him. Here he was, improving his own skill, becoming the hero that he always imagined to be. A small smile grew onto his face. The drills he put his body through were performed crisper, with more force and grace. It was weird though. This new improvement felt like something he knew before, almost like a muscle memory from another life. He was never this good before. Whatever happened was something he didn't know, but he didn't care. He liked it.

He liked it a lot.

"You seem to be in high spirits today." A voice said behind him. Jaune stopped mid-swing, and spun around in alarm. Klein had stepped into the courtyard, well dressed and smiling broadly to him. "Good morning, master Jaune."

"Um, good morning sir." Jaune said, voice cracking from the unuse.

"Might I say, what a lovely hoodie you have there. I think the little rabbit head brings quite a bit of character, don't you think?" Klein said, grinning mischievously, holding back his laughter. Jaune raised a confused brow, then looked down, and blanching. He was wearing his Pumpkin Pete's hoodie. Right smack in the middle of it was a pink and white bunny head, sticking its cute tongue out.

"Huh? What bunny? I don't see any bunny! Do see a bunny, 'cause I sure don't!" Jaune stammered, covering the bunny with his arms, eyes wide as dinner plates. "Nice suit by the way! It looks… just like all your others. Which is cool…"

Klein laughed heartily at Jaune's burning red face. "It's okay, there's no need to be so flustered. Oh, and thanks for the compliments." He said pridefully, standing proudly and straightening his tie. When he got a good look at Jaune's sword, his eyes widened. "Is that Crocea Mors?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Jaune asked, hefting up his sword.

"Your father's name is Jonathan Arc, am I correct?" Jaune nodded. "Ah, I thought I recognized the blade somewhere. You must his son. I'm glad to see that he found love after what he went through in his school. Are you the only one?"

Jaune rolled his eyes. "If only sometimes."

"How many others?"

"Seven. All sisters."

Klein's eyes widened. "My oh my, he's been busy. Nevermind that, I do have a request for you. There is a village not far from here, a very nice one at that. They have an ice cream shop down there with some of the best ice cream in Vale."

"Okay, you want me to grab you some?" Jaune asked excitedly, eager just to leave the manor.

"Not for me. If it's alright with you, I want you to bring Weiss with you." Klein said, anticipating Jaune's recoil. Asking Weiss out? Now? She'd make a Jaune-sickle out of him before he'd even mention where they were going. Nobody would find anything but a frozen corpse covered in enough holes to put swiss cheese to shame. "Don't worry, I'll be behind the door in case anything… unsavory were to happen to you."

That mischievous glint in those eyes was a little unsettling. Wait, weren't they brown a moment ago?

"Alright, uh… why?" Jaune asked nervously.

Klein's eyes changed once again to a sad blue, his gaze downcasting and saddening. "Would you believe me if I told you that Weiss spent three years trying to leave this house? She was taught and trained by some of the best we had to offer, had everything paid for in advance, and given anything she could ask for except freedom of choice. She never could go where she wanted, talk out of line, or really do anything without permission. She finally got out, and now she's back in. Naturally, she's a little upset. Also, her father is due to arrive tomorrow morning, something that I'm sure will make the situation even worse. So I want a friend of hers to help her, if your willing."

Jaune's chest lurched painfully. That's how it was for her all these years? Who could have known? And here he thought she was living the dream, having everything he could desire and more. How could have not have figured it out? He sighed. Weiss never had a choice of her own, only getting attention because of her name? Well, time to change that.

Determined, Jaune nodded. "No worries, I'll make sure she has the time of her life."

"There's a good man."

Life was always a strange thing. Weeks ago, the likelihood of him getting a date with the ice princess was on par with him beating Nora in an arm wrestling game. Though, the moment he talked about the ice cream place down in the village, she told him to take a shower and be read to leave in ten minutes. He was ready in five.

The dust ship ride over there was treacherous, forcing both breakfast and snack out of him, but he survived, and thank Oum he did. When they arrived, Jaune was shocked at how lovely and full of life the place was.

The town was bustling with people of all shapes, sizes and race freely walked the streets, smiling and chatting nonchalantly about whatever was going in their lives. Small houses, stores, bakeries, and vendors lined the streets, giving off the most exotic of scents. Trying not to bump into someone was a battle in itself. What got him most was how peaceful it was. There was not a fight to be seen, an argument in sight, or any danger whatsoever. Even if there was one, it would have looked way out of place.

The sights and smells made him eager to trying anything and everything the town had to offer. A broad smile flashed onto his face. This place was just… amazing. Why didn't he hear of this place before? It would have been amazing to bring his family out here, and just relax with some much needed peace. The same elation must've hit Weiss as well, but she hid it much better than he did, with a continual stoic gaze on everything. The corners of her mouth twitched every so often. Jaune just had to focus on it to actually see it.

"Heh, and to think I've never seen or heard of this place before. This place is amazing!" Jaune said, stretching out, taking a large whiff. Oh, that was just delicious.

"This village used to be ran by the Schnee corporation. The dust yields here were exceptionally high, but when my father had no use for it, he cut it off, and left them to fend for themselves." She scoffed. "Seems like they're doing very well on their own though." There was a certain amount of triumph in her tone, but Jaune chose not to pursue it.

"Wanna stop by and grab something?" Jaune asked, eyes darting excitedly towards the vendors.

"I would rather just buy the ice cream and leave thank you ver-"

"Weiss, what's the point of being out here and doing nothing? C'mon, try and live a little more. Lets see what they have to offer." Jaune pleaded.

"Live a little, huh?" Weiss mulled it over, fingers propped against her chin. With a sigh, she said, "Fine, we'll try things your way, but only because I want to see what new things they have, okay?"

"Loud and clear, let's go!" Jaune said happily, waving for her to follow him.

The stalls offered quite a bit more than Jaune ever thought they would. Fruits of every variety, toys, trinkets and foods from all over the world lined their shelves. Something erged Jaune to give them all a try. Some were good, some bad, and some just gave him flashbacks of every airship ride he's ever been on. All of them were worth it though to see Weiss smile and giggle at odd faces he made before they were forced back down.

When they stopped at a particularly large plushy stall, Jaune focused on the wide arrange of hidden, or so she thought, emotions on her face, from wonder to adoration. It was honestly cute to see her like this. Usually, she was uptight, forceful and couldn't seem to come to any compromise with anyone. Now, she was spending the day how she pleased. Hopefully, she would remember today fondly. Jaune certainly would.

After a few hours of gazing at the merchandise, Jaune and Weiss found the ice cream shop, a nice little joint ran by a polite looking old woman.

"Good afternoon… is that you Weiss?" The woman asked in surprise.

"Yes, I'm surprised you still remember me." Weiss replied politely.

"Of course I would remember one as well dressed and polite as you. And would you look at that, you even found yourself a nice young man. How wonderful." _Aw, what a nice old lady,_ Jaune thought pleasantly. Wait… nice young man? Did she think that she and Jaune were…

Oh my.

"Um, no! Why would you think that? I mean, he's nice enough and not very bad looking, but…" Weiss seemed to be at a loss for words. It was kind of odd seeing her flustered like this. He had to suppress a smile though, and let it go.

"Really? That is quite a shame. He looks like such a nice young man too."

"Aww, thank you!" Jaune said, embarrassingly running a hand through his hair.

"How's your mother these days?" The old woman asked, turning to Weiss.

Weiss grimaced, but recovered soon afterwards, leaving Jaune to wonder why. "Shes… fine."

The old woman nodded, and gave one to the kindest smiles he had ever seen. "Well, what would you like."

"Vanilla for me, and…" Weiss turned expectantly to Jaune.

"Same, thank you."

The old woman gave them their scoops, they said their goodbyes and they found a bench to sit and eat. All in all, it was a nice day, something that Jaune was always happy to get. And he was glad Weiss had a nice time to, even if she barely showed it.

"Arc?"

"What's up, snow angel?"

She took a deep breath. "Thank you. Taking me out today was something that I needed." She looked down at her ice cream rather distantly. "I didn't even know this place was still open. The only other person to take me here was my mother." Another grimace. Another mask. Jaune wanted so desperately to hold her, and ease her pain, but we all know what would happen if he even tried.

"No worries, Weiss. I am here for you, after all. Remember, an Arc always keeps his word." He beat his chest proudly, forgetting that he was still wearing his pumpkin hills hoodie. Perhaps that's where all those weird stairs came from. "I gotta be honest, you were real cute today."

Weiss' eyes widened in surprise. "Cute?"

"Yeah. You looked really happy today, and I'm just glad I could see you smile everyone and a while. And I mean like, actually smile. You did enjoy yourself, right?" Jaune asked awkwardly.

"Yes, I suppose I did. Lucky you, A-" She froze, taking another deep breath. "Jaune." Jaune chuckled. Well, calling him by his actual name was a nice step in the right direction. She turned and smiled to him. A genuine smile that warmed his heart. "Could we do this again sometime?"

"Heh, if we're gonna be here a while, we might as well."

* * *

 _ **You would not believe the amount of rodeblocks this went through. Ah well, another chapter has been finished. Hope you all enjoyed, and please tell me what you think. Give whatever review or feedback you want. It really helps me out. Thanks!**_


	14. Chapter 12: Ease The Pain (Weiss route)

Following the days that were passing by, Jaune was on cloud nine. The Snow Angel was melting before his eyes, showing more and more genuine emotion. Nothing was forced, unlike when she faced the administrators, higher-ups, servants, or even her father. No thin, tight smile contorted her face. It was pure, and radiant, without a single ounce of effort to it. That was about the best he could ask for.

Being her assistant, he was with her most of the time, taking care of the more menial tasks and generally offering support in any way, shape or fashion. It was odd. It felt like being a retainer to royalty. Jaune didn't mind that at all. Not by a long shot. If anything this was a fantasy that he had been desiring since his mother smothered him with stories of princess', and the knights who would fight the dragon to save them. He did fit the knight motif, or at least he thought he did. Thinking about it was often distracting enough to get him scolded by Weiss for spacing out.

Their night talks had gotten more frequent. Weiss seemed oddly interested in Jaune's home life, though he couldn't see why. Life back home was simple, subtle, without a single overwhelming problem. Home was always disconnected from the world, separating itself from the politics, racial issues, and general unpleasantness of the outside world. In-town problems or not, it was normal. She seemed to like it, sitting attentively and holding on to every word he said, even though she tried to hide it.

Lying his bed now, after quite a long night of shooting the breeze, he contemplated what happened lately, and how much she began to trust him. Trust was not something he would take for granted, especially hers. Not when he had worked so hard just to get it. Months had gone by since school started, since he acted like a fool. Regrets were aplenty, but all that changed now.

Smiling to himself, he rolled over, burrowing deep into his sheets, but sleep wouldn't come very easily. It never did here. Even in the safety of Atlas, he found himself fighting himself to get to sleep. The air was still, cold, and distant, always making him uneasy and fidgety. Weiss must've had the willpower of the gods to live here this long.

"One… two… three…" Jaune murmured, counting invisible little sheeps that hopped over his bed.

Nothing worked. He forced his eyes shut. Still nothing. He buried himself deeper into his pillow. Need he say more? The air grew stagnant. His body numbed as he refused to move it. An hour. Two hours. More. Then he gave up. His eyes fluttered open but his heart skipped a beat at what he saw.

He wasn't in his room, and he wasn't in a bed. He wasn't even his pajamas anymore. Jaw quiver, shaking nervously, he looked around his new environment. No… this wasn't new at all. The same crimson colored, pristine halls that reeked with age. The large window not far off from him. The row of doors on both sides of him, so symmetrical that it seemed impossible. There was no doubt about it. Jaune Arc was back at Beacon.

Not just any spot mind you, the same spot he woke up in before he was demanded to join Weiss. It was odd though. The air was deathly stagnant, and there was no ounce of life. It was silent, and completely void of smell. It was almost like he wasn't there at all.

Carefully, he pushed himself up, and checked his scroll for the time. His eyes widened. Five in the morning? Wasn't it nine in the evening a while ago? Even that didn't make sense. Or at least he thought he didn't he remembered leaving his room around seven thirty. If anything, it should've been eight.

Out of focus, he started hearing scratching. It was mild, and if he hadn't focused on finding any noise whatsofever, he wouldn't have noticed it. It was like nails against concrete, something that you had to strain to here.

Then it got louder, followed by clicking. An odd clicking sound reminding Jaune of every bone he ever broke. The wrist that never healed right, and kept on clicking. It was like that, only on a grand scale, like the bone was trying desperately to escape. It was all coming from the window.

Gulping, he walked closer to it. He was brimming with sweat, but he couldn't feel it. He couldn't even feel the heat off of it. Stepping closer, he ran his finger along the glass, stunned that he still couldn't feel it. The scratching had stopped, but a large, black, bat shaped shadow flew overhead, spiraling across the base of the shattered moon. Jaune tried to focus on it, but something else drew his attention.

Footsteps. Jaune spun around, fingers fumbling numbly around the hilt of Crocea Mors. "Who's there?" he shouted, his voice echoing down the hall.

The air grew icy cold. Jaune's breath came out in a deep haze, rising towards the roof and scattering against it. This was the first amount of feeling he had. Shivering, rubbing and slapping away at his arms, trying to warm them. Frost built up along the crevices of the hall, spreading from one end to the other. On the other side, where the frost was building up, a figure stood at the end of the hall.

Narrowing his eyes, the dark figure grew clearer. He was tall, probably his height, if not a little taller. It was drenched in a black aura, concealing everything aside a gleaming purple and red set of eyes that stared back at him.

"Who are you?" Jaune rasped, trying to hold himself together, fear taking hold.

To his surprise, the figure replied something simple, but it would be something he would remember for years to come.

"Someone you don't want to be."

It was then that Jaune's eyes fluttered open, back to reality. He was motionless in his bed, shaking, covered in his sweat. He didn't realize he was awake again until a full minute had passed. When did he fall asleep? That didn't feel like much of a dream either. It was almost like a memory. And even that was fading away.

"Jaune!" The young knight shot upright instinctively, head snapping to different parts of the room. He gulped nervously when he saw Weiss at his door, already dressed and glaring down at him. "Get up, you dolt! My father is about to arrive, and you have to be ready!"

"Who? What? Why?" Jaune tumbled out of his bed, shouting random curses, pushing himself clumsily to his feet, standing upright and stiffer than a board. "I'm up! I'm up! Your grandpa's here, right?"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "My father, you dolt. Get up and get dressed. I want you out of this room in ten minutes, or you will have no breakfast."

Jaune groaned. No breakfast? What kind of monster is she? "Alright, I'm going!" He cried, rushing into the bathroom to take a quick shower. It hadn't even taken ten minutes before he forgot about that dream entirely.

Was it him, or was the air more chilled than usual. If it got any colder, ice would have fun running down the walls. He felt heavier than usual, heartbeat slowing rising. Was he getting nervous? Why would he? He was only going to meet the leader of a national conglomerate as an assistant to his daughter. There was absolutely no reason to be nervous. None at all.

Jaune was an idiot.

Of course, it didn't help that Weiss dragged him by the hand, which was unbelievably soft and small under his catchers mitts he called hands. Blushing madly, he hid his face with his other hand, hoping that she didn't see it. The last thing he needed was another scolding from the mighty empress of ice.

Before Jaune knew it, they had arrived into the main foyer, where a swarm of servants and service bots attended to one tall man at the center of the room. The moment Weiss walked near the crowd, they parted like a stone in a river, letting her through. It was then Jaune finally got a good glance at the man of the hour.

If Jaune could take a picture of the epitome of pride, he was sure that man was what he saw. Dressed in silver, elegantly made suit, with a red handkerchief sticking out of breast pocket, stood Jacque Schnee, with the palest skin he had ever seen, white hair, and a bust of a mustache that would probably make professor port competitive for the best one.

The man carried himself with such grace, pride, and finesse, looking like he owned the world with the way he held his chin high. Like a king gesturing to his subjects, every little move the man made was accentuated and worshiped by his servants. Jaune shook his head. Never before in his life would he have ever thought he could hate a man before he met him, but right now, he would want nothing more than to make this the hardest time ever for him.

Questions were fired around him, and the old man handled them with ease. They rolled by so fast that Jaune couldn't catch a question before the next was asked. The most he got was something about dust? Jaune slapped the back of his own head. Of course they would be talking about dust. This was a damn dust company. It's not like they invested in houses for bunnies.

"Good morning, father." Weiss said politely. Jaune blinked confusedly, wondering where all her usual fire was. Jacque brushed past her, ignoring her completely. The young knights eyes widened. Why that little…

Jaune spun around the shout for the man's attention, but Weiss stopped him with a simple touch on his shoulder. Her face was stone cold, apathetic and lacking any kind of life to it. It almost looked like she was used to this. "Don't bother, Jaune. I'll wait, and you will too." That sounded less like a request, and more like an order. Jaune sighed. He couldn't very well say no, could he?

"Does he usually ignore you like this?" Jaune asked, glaring at the old man's back.

"Only when he's working." She replied.

"So, all the time?" Weiss didn't answer. That answers that. Jaune's face must of gave away all of his sympathy, because Weiss glared at him. "Weiss…"

"Don't." Weiss deadpanned. "I'll just wait until he's done."

Jaune narrowed his eyes on her. "See, now that is not the Weiss I know. The Weiss I know would march up and demand his attention. The Weiss I know wouldn't put up with anybodies crap."

"The Weiss you know isn't here." Weiss stated calmly. "The Weiss you know is still in Beacon, wishing she never left." Briskly, she brushed past him, and marched off, joining the crowd pining for that old man's attention.

Jaune ran a hand across his hair, feeling suddenly exhausted. How could she do it? How can she live her entire life with this man and not go insane with bloodlust? Jaune nearly socked him just looking at him. No conversation needed. Just the insatiable need for violence. Weiss would have his head after that probably.

The foyer was cleared before Jaune drifted out of his thoughts. He had no idea where Weiss was, but he had a feeling he didn't want to be there. The only person remaining was Klein, who stepped up next to him, patting him gently on the shoulder.

"Please excuse the master. His work is very important to him." He said.

"More important than his own daughter?" Jaune fired back.

"Unfortunately." Jaune wasn't sure what was more shocking. The fact that what Jaune inquired was true, or that the butler said it so freely. He cocked his head, gazing at his face. Wasn't his eyes blue a moment ago? "That old man needs to lighten up."

If Jaune had a drink, it would have fired out of his mouth by now. "K-Klein?"

"You called?" the old man asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Uh, yeah. You just said that, right? About your boss?" Jaune asked, barely containing his shock.

"Aye, that I did, m'boy, that I did." Klein said, grinning. "Now, if you've nothing to do, go train. I'd hate to see Weiss be disappointed with her Knight in Bunny Hoodie."

Jaune blushed a cherry red. "K-Knight in what now?"

"Go!" Klein said, waving him along.

"Yessir!" Jaune cried, running off to his room to collect his weapon and armor. Not too long afterwards, he was out in the courtyard again, training his heart out. The moment he stepped outside in just his training shirt and jeans, he realized something.

Oh hey, Atlas is cold, isn't it?

Now that cold was blasted down his shirt, practically freezing him where he stood. Teeth chattering, he wondered what kind of sadistic god was cruel enough to make the very idea of cold. He could just imagine him laughing at Jaune right now.

Jaune tried to train, but dealing with objects while shaking like a mad dog while slipping and sliding on the ice around probably wasn't the best idea. With a sigh, he sheathed his sword, and walked back to the door. Or he would have if he hadn't slipped on the ice on the path, and fell flat on his face.

"Of course…" Jaune muttered, muffled by the dirt under him. Carefully, he pushed himself onto his back, where he lay, watching the slow, steady fall of snow.

Jaune must admit, he was lucky. Atlas was notorious for being one of the coldest places on Remnant, but he was lucky to not have to deal with it much, except now.

The weather was pleasant though. The snowfall was delicate, and elegant as it flowed through the air, like specks of frozen, wet silk raining down from the sky. The sky was stark white, as if there were a colossal sheet placed over it. Daydreaming came easy. The hard part was keeping track of what he was dreaming about. Anything to waste time, he guessed. Though he was glad he did, otherwise, he never would have noticed the open window on Weiss' balcony.

Wasn't that balcony always locked? Jaune could have sworn it was. He gulped. Was someone going after her? Foregoing all of his fatigue, he ran into the manor, racing past all the servants and pushing over several bots that he passed by, appearing in front of Weiss' door in record time. He stopped in his tracks when he heard the most unfamiliar, unbelievable thing he has ever heard.

Sobbing? Weiss' sobbing to be precise. Suddenly, Jaune wasn't very eager to go charging in. Perhaps it was best to take this slowly. His fingers closed around the knob, and twisted carefully. Every move was done gingerly, right down to the way he walked closer to Weiss, who sat on her bed, sitting with her knees to her chest, a pillow crushed between them.

"Um… Weiss?"

Bad idea.

"What the hell are you doing here, you dolt! Get out! Out!" Weiss shrieked, tossing everything in the vicinity at him, from hair brushes to an alarm clock to Myrtenaster eventually. It impaled itself in the wall, next to his head. Jaune gulped.

"W-Weiss! Stop! I just want to talk!" Jaune shouted, dodging, ducking, crying out like a little girl every time something moved past him.

"I. Don't. Want. To. Talk!" Weiss screamed with everything she through. "Just leave me alone! I don't need you, or want you, so just leave!" Somehow, she ran out of things to throw, and just settled for tossing herself over her bed, and sobbing uncontrollably.

This would have been incredibly daunting for Jaune if he didn't have experience with this kind of thing already. Having seven sisters to deal with tended to give you information on how deal with this. Boldness was essential. Confidence was key. Kindness was a must. Plucking up the balls to do this was something else entirely.

Taking a deep breath, Jaune strided over to Weiss' side at the side of her bed, and sat beside her. Gingerly, he reached his arm across and wrapped it around her shoulders, bringing her close, and having her head lean on his shoulder. Weiss stopped sobbing, absolutely stunned. He smiled to her, but it wavered once he saw a good look at her beautiful, red, tear-streaked face.

There was a bruise on her cheek.

Jaune held back a growl. Don't get angry, he told himself, that'll only make things worse for the both of them.

"Jaune… what are you-"

"Letting you take it easy." Jaune said softly. You've been so tense as of late, and I want you to relax." Boldly, he stroked head rhythmically, feeling as though he were stroking a living time bomb. He was surprised that she relax in his arms, letting her tensed head rest on his shoulder. "Now, can you what happened to you?"

Weiss was adamant at first. It took a whopping five minutes before she relented. "My father… wanted to speak with him.

"Mm hmm?" Jaune said, nodding, making it clear he was paying attention.

"He wasn't impressed with my role as a huntress, and… he wants me to quit and run as a figurehead on the company." Weiss said solemnly.

Jaune's heart plummeted. Weiss quit hunting? That just didn't sound right. He could just feel himself losing control of himself, wanting to go find that old man and gut him. He couldn't imagine Beacon without his snow angel.

"I ran away from this place to follow my own dreams. This company meant nothing to me before. It's nothing but one damned cage." And she was the bird trapped inside. Jaune's other hand wrapped around hers. "I tried to run, but I was just shoved right back in again. It won't be long before he marries me off." She choked a sob. "Damn it all, why is it that I'm just a damn prize? I can't stand it!" She chuckled mockingly to herself. "I guess there's nowhere to run. I'm stuck here, aren't I?"

"Weiss…"

She sniffled, clutching onto his hand. "Jaune… what am I to you?" It was then that he acknowledged the minefield he was in. One word gone wrong, and any relationship he was hoping to have with her would be up in flames. Taking the risk was worth it though. He wanted desperately for her to feel better.

"I think you're Weiss." Weiss narrowed her eyes in confusion. "No, you're Weiss. Schnee be damned. You are the strongest person I've ever known. You're willing to shout your opinion and your belief to heaven and back if it meant you could be heard. Nothing's too hard, and no matter the challenge, you'll keep on going. Your passionate, and honestly, one of the people I'm proud to say is close to me. I look at you and see Weiss, not Schnee."

"Do you… truly mean that?" Weiss asked, wiping her eyes.

"Arcs honor. I would never betray your trust. You know that, right?" Jaune smiled down onto her. "We'll find a way through this later, but for now, just let it out."

"I can't!" She persisted. "I have to stay strong. I'm a Schnee, dammit, and I… I …" Tears crept up to the corners of her eyes again. "I just want to be Weiss." With that, she finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder, writing and shaking in his arms. Jaune sat there, holding her close, stroking her head, and clutching her hand gently. So many years worth of pain was laid bare for him to see, and all he could do was comfort her.

It wasn't long before she cried herself to sleep, nuzzling into his shoulder. Jaune felt uncomfortable, but for her sake, he refused to move. They'll talk about this later, but for now, he let his snow angel.

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 _ **Thank you all for reading, i hope you enjoy, leave your thoughts and reviews please, it really helps me out a lot, thank you, and see you all later!**_


	15. Chapter 13: The Risk (Weiss Route)

Never before in Jaune's life had he been so wary to move. Laying against the side of Weiss', the young heiress in his arms, he flattened his back against the frame, feeling like he was cradling a ticking time bomb. Every movement made her stir a little, much to his discomfort. This was something that that happened once in a lifetime, and he wasn't very keen on letting it go anytime soon.

Strange was the understatement of the century to describe this. Looking back to just over two weeks ago, they had been at each other's throats. Sooner than that, she pretended he didn't exist. This seemed otherworldly, but welcome nonetheless. Though maybe they needed a better position than this. It had been two hours since he last had any feeling in his arms.

Carefully, he shifted his arm in Weiss' vice grip, slowly sliding it out of her arms. She moaned, tensing and shifting, sleep slightly disturbed. Jaune froze, gulping, a drop of sweat boarding at his brow. He didn't dare wipe it away. One more movement, and he'd been dealing with a cranky ice which who might just freeze him before he got a word out. A minute passed. She relaxed again in his arm, leaning against his chest, settling on his lap this time.

Snaking an arm under his knees, he took a deep breath, and stood up with her in his arms. Gingerly, he placed her onto the bed, and, with his free hand, draped the comforter over her. Satisfied, he went to leave, only to be yanked back, and sprawled awkwardly back onto the bed, sputtering and cursing.

Jaune's heart stopped. Did Weiss just pull him back? Oh Oum, was she awake? Daring to look at her, he found her still snoozing away, looking more peaceful than he had seen in a long time. Lying on her side, she had his arm gripped tightly to her chest, forearm just shy of her breasts. They were right there. Right There! One movement, and he would be touching them. Jaune's face glowed brighter than fire, heart pounding madly in his chest.

You would not believe the war going on in his head right now. Should he leave? Should he stay? Should he what? What could he do in this situation? No. Calm down. Panic is the enemy, Jaune, panic is the enemy. Taking deep breaths, he calmed himself just enough to relax. The bed was heavenly, the soft mattress curving and morphing to fit his body, cradling it, easing his nerves. The room was quiet. The scent of vanilla emanating off her made him fidget, almost involuntarily inching closer to her.

Still, he couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

Smiling softly, he boldly reached and stroked her face gently, cupping her cheek. Jaune's heart skipped a beat when she moaned again, but this time, she curled her face slightly into his hand, a small smile on his face, and a strip of red across her nose. She looked utterly adorable. Who could've guessed this sleeping beauty was the fearsome ice queen that would freeze you on sight if you so much as touched her.

So strong, so passionate, so honest with herself. Jaune loved that about her. Before all of this, he wasn't sure what dragged him to her. Maybe it was that desire to protect, some generic ideal that he had implanted into his own head from the stories that were read to him as a child. Who knew? But now he had a reason. He had focus. He truly felt felt for her in ways that he never thought he would before.

Was this love? Who knew. He sure as hell didn't. All he felt right now was the fierce desire to protect her. Smiling to her, he settled into his spot, and got ready for a long nap. He perked up when the door opened, however, with Klein stepping in.

"Good evening, Ms. Schnee, I have been tasked to tell you that… Oh good lord." Klein said, eyes wide in disbelief. "I must say, when I woke up for work today, this was definitely something I wasn't expecting to see." Why did Jaune feel like he'd heard that before?

Jaune waved his free hand frantically. "Please don't ruin this." He hissed.

"Affirmative. Play nice now." Klein said, bowing his head slightly, and wishing the both of them goodnight. When he left, Jaune couldn't help but feel a sense of ease. Before, he had to worry about someone walking in and chewing him out. Now, Klein would probably tell the others to leave them be, and no report them the father. Then, he would have to be worried about picking the pike that his head was going to be placed on.

Jaune relaxed again, closing his eyes, and slowly drifted off to the most peaceful sleep he's had for the longest time. He was surprised to see that he wasn't woken up with a hard slap to the face the next morning. Instead, it was a gentle shake and a soft call of his name. He slowly rose, and yawned, feeling more refreshed than ever. The sun peaked overhead, shining just enough light into her window with it blinding him.

Sitting next to him was Weiss, who was still tired looking, but oddly exalted. It took a little bit for him to remember where he was, and sat up stiffer than a board, red in the face. They both sat awkwardly for a little Weiss finally spoke.

"Well, can't say this isn't a little strange…"

"Yeah." More silence.

"You didn't… do anything unsavory to me while I was sleeping?" Weiss asked sternly.

"What? Of course not! What do you take me for?" Jaune asked, his blush deepening even further."

Weiss sighed. "That's enough, Jaune, I believe you. This is just the first time someone else had slept with me. This is… rather foreign."

"Tell me about it." Jaune muttered, nervously rubbing the back of his head. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Thankfully, you're actually sensible enough to be asking the right questions." Weiss said. "And, from where we go from here? I… don't know. What do you think?"

Jaune froze. Should he tell her how he felt? No, that'd just push her away from him. She'd probably think he's trying to get with her again, just like he did back at Beacon way back when he had no idea what he was doing. How should he go about this then? "I honestly have no idea. What do you think?"

Weiss tapped her chin in thought. "Let's start off with the truth then." she took a deep breath. "I care for you. In these last few weeks, you've been nothing short of dependable, and has seen me in a light few have seen. I've trusted you with things that I think I've only told my sister, or Klein." Jaune blinked. That… felt so heartfelt. So genuine. Jaune truly felt like someone close to her. "I'll think more on this. In the meantime, clean yourself up, you stink. I'm going to be cleaning sweat out of these sheets for a week."

Jaune rolled his eyes. At least she's back to normal. "By the way, what are you gonna do about your dad? Doesn't he want you to stop being a huntress?"

"Don't worry about that, I might have a plan, but I may need you to bear with me."

"Yeah, of course, see you soon." Jaune said with a short wave, walking off to the door.

"Don't run off too far. You are my assistant after all." Jaune nodded and closed the door behind him. After making it back to his room, he closed the door, leaned against it, and slowly slid down, sighing. Last night was one of the shortest, yet most tense of his life. There was no way he'd forget this anytime soon, especially since he still had that soft feeling in his arm from where… he took a deep breath, getting his mind out of the gutter.

His mind returned to his old dream. That hallway in Beacon. That clock. The time just felt off to him. And that figure in the dark armor. There was more to him than meets the eye. He felt a strange connection that he couldn't explain. It scared him, but what good was fear going to do. After all, it was just a dream… it had to be.

Before he could relax, a loud shriek echoed in the morning skies. The knight gasped, jumping to his feet, fingers wrapped around the hilt of Crocea Mors. "What the hell was that?" He hissed to himself. Didn't that come from outside? Tense, heart pounding, he inched his way closer to the window. Staring out of the pristine, clear window his eyes widened in shock.

Nevermore's. Seven of them, all heading to the manor. Swearing madly in panic, he raced to the door, and sprinted down the hall. It was then that the alarm blared loudly throughout the manor. Chaos spread across the halls before the Nevermore's even arrived. Attendants and chefs running around like headless chickens, screaming for someone to do something. Grunting in annoyance, he sprinted off to Weiss' room only to find it empty. He swore. Did she run off on her own?

Growling to himself for letting her go off on her own, he sprinted through the halls, pushing past a multitude of frenzied, screaming attendees, shouting obscenities at the few who pushed him. After what felt like an eternity, he found the main staircase, and traveled up the main area all the way up to the roof access. Desperately pushing the door open, he tripped over his own feet, and ended up careening onto the floor, flat on his face.

"Smooth." He muttered to himself, standing back up again. He ran to the edge of the rooftop, and stared over the horizon line, biting his lip nervously. Oum, there were more than he thought. An entire flock of Nevermore's all headed for this one place. Why? How did they even make it past Atlas security? What the hell was going on here?

He drew Crocea Mors, took a deep breath, and prepared for the worst. "Maybe I should invest in getting some kind of gun." He murmured to himself, feeling a little daunted by the distance. He chuckled ruefully. Maybe he should try to lob his sword. Who knows. It may do him some good.

Counting at least eleven of them, he noted which one was closest, and set his sights on it. It wasn't long after before more chaos broke around the grounds. Atlas forces had arrived in full, or perhaps the only ones assigned to manor, firing away at the crowd of Grimm. Jaune covered his ears as the heavy artillery fire cracked through the air. Two were taken down immediately, collapsing into ashes before they hit the ground. The third was shot down so close to Jaune, he was showered with its ashes before it dissipated completely.

Artillery fire managed to eliminate five more Grimm before the Nevermore's swarmed the posts, along with the soldiers and tore it all apart, taking some soldiers along the way. Bits of metal and broken shell casings flew in random directions, bouncing off the manor, bashing through the windows, and some ricocheting off of Jaune's shield. Glaring at one of them that were closing in through the open split piece at the top of his shield, he readied for a swing, letting the sword hang back.

"A little closer… a little closer…"

A gust of fire swathed just over his head, smothering the Nevermore in a red flames. It's screech nearly deafened Jaune as it sailed over his head, and up into the air again, tail and feathers still smoldering. Jaune spun around to see Weiss, wielding Myrtenaster, a grim determination on her face.

"Weiss, I had that!" Jaune whined.

"Of course you did." She said sarcastically. "Tell me that when you can kill anything more than an ursa."

"Cut me some slack, okay?" Jaune moaned.

"Quit whining and start killing." Weiss snapped, standing back to back with him. They had officially taken the attention of the remaining Nevermore's as they all circled around him. "I can rely on you, right?"

"'Course. It's gonna take a lot more than a few Nevermore's to take out the ol' Arc." Jaune said confidently, flexing the collection of noodles that were his muscles. Weiss stifled a laugh, getting her head in the game. "Get ready, I think one's getting closer!"

As if on cue, one of the Nevermore swerved out of the circle, and dived straight for them. "Move!" Weiss shouted, harshly slapping Jaune's back. The blonde knight rolled out of the way of the incoming Grimm, its tailwind nearly blowing the both away. Another jet of fire sprouted over his head, and enveloped the Nevermore, scorching its feathers, and turning to ash almost immediately. Jaune blinked, confused.

"What kind of dust vials are you using?" Jaune asked, rather intimidated.

"The kind you'd never want to touch. Also, its the kind that I'd rather not use lest we ignite this entire rooftop." Weiss said, clearing the vials out of her cartridge. Jaune began to wonder just how dangerous his Snow Angel was.

A Nevermore hurtled towards them, doing a perfect swan dive just over their heads. Taking a deep breath, Jaune barrel rolled out the way, with Weiss jumping gracefully out of harm's way. The Nevermore swerved in midair, changing is direction completely, making it head straight at them instead of over them.

Prepping Crocea Mors, he narrowed his eyes on the target, and ducked as the Nevermore sailed over his head. With reflexes sharper than he ever thought possible, he lashed out with a powerful upward arc, allowing the Grimm's momentum to drag the blade across its torso, effectively splitting it in two. Ashes gushed over him, telling him that it was over. He grinned at Weiss, who stood in awe.

"Did you... How did you…"

"I hope you liked what you saw, but don't me to do that again." Jaune said, reeling from just how lucky that was.

"You had better do that again if you hope to- Jaune, look out!" Weiss shouted in alarm. Jaune didn't even have time to scream before a large wing thicker than a three trunk, slammed into his chest piece, taking the wind out of him. Flying off of his feet, he sailed over the rooftop and into the open air. Shouting indiscriminately, flailing in midair, he groped the air for anything that could save him.

Unfortunately, that would happen to be the wing of a Nevermore.

Screaming and cursing until his throat was raw, he crawled on the soaring Nevermore, clutching its black feathers for dear life. It's back was rougher than porcupine quills, with each feather jabbing away at his skin. Thank Oum for aura, otherwise, he'd be a human pincushion. He could barely make anything out of the roaring wind aside from Weiss screaming his name from a distance.

Where were they flying? How fast were they going? Jaune didn't care. He could barely keep his eyes open from the streaming wind rushing into them. The frozen bite of the Atlas air couldn't be any more clear than it was now, the squalls of wind flying through every chink in his armor and clothes. Teeth chattering and body freezing, Jaune used every last bit of strength he had to push his top half up with his legs gripping the Nevermore with all they had. One he finally had a good view of his surroundings, he wished he stayed down.

It was official. He was riding a Grimm. This was happening right now. How on Remnant did Nora put up with this?

A vast, snow-filled forest was below them. No, they were so far up that the trees looked like green specks. How his motion sickness wasn't kicking in was anyone's guess. Maybe the adrenaline was forcing it away? Who knew. There was no way he'd survive a fall like that, even if he used every last inch of aura in his body. There was only one thing for it then. The last option.

With one last bated breath, he reverse gripped his sword, held his other hand against the base of the pommel, and stabbed the blade directly into the Nevermore's back. The loud screech could be heard for miles. Twisting and turning the blade, he used it as a vantage point, letting his movements alter the Grimm's. Forcing the blade away from him, he guided the Grimm to dive, teeth grit in determination. His muscles strained from the effort.

The ground was fast approaching. Breaths becoming heavy, he counted to three before yanked the blade back, forcing the Grimm to face up. Trees split at their bases when they collided into them. Branches and leaves nicked away at Jaune's flesh, nicking his aura away piece by piece. Jaune held his breath the moment they touched ground. When the did, Jaune was flung from the top of the Grimm, falling onto his side and rolling into a clearing.

"Okay… that hurt." He hissed, gasping and wincing at the nicks and scratches along his body. He was probably covered in bruises by now. He tried to stand, but fell back to his knee. "Yeah, that hurt. Ooh, that hurt a lot."

It took a little while before Jaune was able to stand. He was just glad to have his feet on solid ground again. When he turned to see the Grimm, all he saw was a gaping crater, a row of collapsed pine trees, and a heaping pile of ash.

"Never again." Jaune said promptly, fighting off fast approaching waves of nausea. "Never, ever again. You couldn't pay me to pull this crap off again."

Sheathing his sword, he checked his scroll. "Great, no bars." He murmured, annoyed. "And no ride." He sighed. "Yeah, it's one of those days, but taking a quick walk wouldn't hurt." With that, he set off towards the manor, humming, trying to ignore the blistering cold. Weiss was probably worried sick about him, considering how he… left the manor. Hopefully, she would be okay when he got back.

The crunch of snow behind him stopped him in his tracks. Sweat poured down his brow, despite the cold. That definitely didn't sound like a Grimm. Turning slowly, he felt his nervous, heating body drop several degrees befitting his environment. Clinking and clanking of heavy armor matched the crunching of the snow. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the noise. He froze in his tracks once he found the source, or rather, the source found him.

"What… how… who are…" Jaune said at a lost for words.

Standing in front of him was the man in black armor, staring back at him. Above him was a demon-like Grimm…

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 ** _And on that note, I'll leave you all hanging. Take care everyone! Please review your thought and opinions, it really helps me out a lot. See ya!_**


	16. Chapter 14: Bloody Snow (Weiss route)

_**Hey guys...**_

 _ **Yeah, its been a while. Well, quite a bit has happened. For one, many family related complications, a small vacation later on to refresh myself, and, to add to that, I was hit hard with burnout. I simply didn't know what to write, and didn't have motivation. Its not much of an issue now. Sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoy.**_

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Jaune's entire world went numb and quiet. The loud whistling of the wind, coupled with the sheets of snow constantly blowing into his face, meant nothing to him. Watching the two figures in front of him made him completely numb. The man in black armor held such a dominance over him, such an authoritative force that Jaune couldn't keep his eyes on him, something that the chilling winds and blistering cold couldn't do.

His body had forgotten to shake and shiver from the frigid temperature. The two crimson slits that showed through an armored visor froze the blonde knight in his tracks. Words came to mind, but none came out. Only the stutters and ramblings that came from the cold came out of Jaune. It took very long for him to grab his bearings, and when he did, it still wasn't much better.

"W-who… Who a-are you?" He asked amidst the shivers.

The figure didn't answer. Did he hear him? Squeaks tended not to be heard in small blizzards. Maybe he should try again. "Who are you?" Jaune demanded. "And what are you doing here?"

White wings unfurled behind him. For a moment, Jaune thought that he had grown enormous wings. It had taken a few moments to remember the large Demon Grimm behind him, which had shrieked loudly. Swears flew out of his mouth as he stumbled over, falling back-first onto the freshly fallen snow. Gusts of wind washed over him, making the trees sway and caused several crystals of ice to fly into his face. Forcing himself up onto his feet, Crocea Mors now in hand, he took a step back, waiting in anticipation.

Swooping in like a drone, wings fully unfurled, the Grimm shrieked and charged towards him, hovering not but a few inches off the ground. Raising his shield instinctively, he slid forward, using his momentum to bash the Grimm's deformed face, sending it up slightly so he could slide under it. The moment he stopped, he shot up to correct his stance. No sooner than he did, the beast was at it again, diving for him this time. He rolled to the side as the Grimm rocketed to the ground, causing a plume of white snow to exploud everywhere.

"Crap, crap, crap!" Jaune stuttered, pushing himself back onto his feet. No sooner than he did, a large, skeletal hand with rapier-like nails wrapped around his chest. The Grimm reared its ugly head towards him, and roared, the power of its scream rippling through his hair and clothes. Something else that caught him unawares was just how bad it smelled. Human flesh and carrion didn't give monsters the best breath it seemed. Who knew.

The Grimm's wings spread out again, and it took flight, taking him with it. Swearing loudly, he gripped onto the clawed, scaly hand for dear life. "Put me down!" He screamed, stabbing whatever he could. He managed to get a lucky hit in, plunging his sword deep into the beasts thigh. It shrieked, reared Jaune back, and lobbed him as hard as it could. Before he knew it, he was sailing through the air, screaming like the day he was born, groping for whatever could stop him.

Once again, his luck held through. He closed his hand around a leafless tree, whipping him around like a ragdoll. Quickly, he wrapped his arms and legs around the tree's base, secruing himself. Looking up from the ground, he must've looked like quite the fool, but he was just happy to be alive.

"Okay. Okay. Now all I gotta do is slide do- _ooooooown!_ " He trailed into a scream as the tree began to sway from the fierce winds. "Great! Add more problems why don't you." He muttered to the world.

To his shock, his scroll began to ring. Finally, a signal! No doubt because of high up he was. Clumsily, he picked it out of his pocket, tightened his grip on the tree, and answered. "Are you help? Please tell me you're help!" he shouted into the receiver.

"Jaune! Are you alright? How far out are you?" Weiss worried shout bounced around in his ears. Maybe he should hold it a bit further away from his ear.

Jaune eased his head up, gulping. In the distance, possibly a mile or two out, was the Schnee manor. Small plumes of smoke traveled up from some spots on its roof. A little fire spiraled out of one window, but all things considered, it looked relatively fine. Nothing a few weeks of repair wouldn't fix. "Pretty far out. I'd say… at least a mile out."

"Where are you right now?"

"High. Very high. Please help." Jaune sputtered, clinging tighter to the tree.

"You're still on that Grimm? What on Remnant would possess you to do something like that, you dolt!" Weiss shouted.

"Wasn't exactly my choice! It was either that things wing, or open air! Life doesn't always grant the best choices!" Jaune shouted back, albeit more out of fear. "I'm alive though, no worries. I just need some he- _eeeeeeeelp!_ " The tree swayed once again, making the teen scream in panic. "Panicking! Mayday! Mayday! SOS! Whatever, just help!"

"The fasted way I can get to you is by airship." Weiss said in a huff.

"Faster! Faster would be better!"

"I've got your scroll coordinates now. Just wait until I get there. I shouldn't be but a few minutes." Weiss said as the line cut out.

"Easy for you to say!" Jaune shouted at nothing. The tree swayed again, forcing quite a girly scream out of him. Could this get any worse?

As if on cue, the loud shriek of the Demon Grimm echoed into his ears again. Jaune sighed. Daring himself to look down, he saw the beast was flying up the tree, to his horror. Jaune, throwing caution to the wind, decided to let gravity sort things out, let go of the tree, and smacked the Grimm shield-first, letting his weight and enhanced strength send it down with him. The beast hit the ground, sending plumes of snow up into the air, Jaune still on its stomach. He tore his sword the beast's thigh, and rolled away, breaking off into a sprint.

That tears it. He needed a plan and he needed it fast. Jaune quickly took note of his environment as he passed, right down to the array and patterns of the trees. The Grimm was sailing behind him. Taking a deep breath, he broke to a halt. If he was going to do this, he had to do it now.

He reared back Crocea Mors, and waited. Everything had to be just right. A second passed. A heartbeat. Jaune became aware of everything. The Grimm shrieked, claws outstretched, daring him to move. Teeth grit, burning hot despite the cold, he struck at the base of the tree next to him as hard as he could.

He must've underestimated his strength as the base of the tree didn't just split, it was completely annihilated. Splinters and sawdust sprayed into the air. Only a small fraction of wood remained, which was far from enough to hold the entire tree up.

"Timber!" Jaune shouted excitedly, not resisting the temptation. The timing was just right. The tree came crashing down onto the Grimm, smashing it into the ground. Before Jaune could celebrate, a dull shriek shook the ground. The claws that stuck out from the sides of the tree swung about randomly, finding their mark fast and cutting the tree into ribbons. Jaune could only watch as his biggest weapon fell to pieces and revealed the monster underneath, which seemed to grin at him when it stood.

"Well, so much for that." Jaune grumbled, taking off in a mad dash again. What he wouldn't give for some support right now.

The Grimm didn't waste time catching up this time. Swooping in next to him at speeds that he could barely see, it batted him away with the back of its hand, sending him flying into a tree. He bounced off of it, pain firing through his body, and fell to the ground, face deep in the snow.

"Shit…" He wheezed, propping himself on his sword. He could feel his aura wavering. It wasn't at its highest before, especially with the harsh landing he pulled prior. This battle probably put him in the red zone. The Grimm was closing in on him again, teeth bared and nails out. Jaune instinctively raised his arm only to find his shield was gone, knocked away from him. His heart skipped a beat as the Grimm closed on him. He shut his eyes and prepared for the worst.

A second passed. Another. Had time stopped? How hadn't the Grimm cut him down yet? Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw that the Grimm's claw was stuck in a black glyph. Jaune smiled. Weiss must be nearby.

Now that they were face-to-face, now that he could see directly into its eyes, something struck him. Something that felt obvious, but at the same time, didn't, and he had no idea what it could be. Suddenly, a sharp pain fired into his head, forcing a scream out of him and making him collapse onto a knee, clutching his head. A drop of blood dripped from his nose, and fell into the snow, waiting for the second drop to join it.

Visions shot through his skull. He saw a mountainous terrain, and he saw Ruby for some reason, laying unconscious, shaking and twitching. He also felt a tremendous rage, and something inside his chest burn like fire. He wanted to kill it. He wanted out. He wanted it to end.

Just end, please!

"Jaune! Move!"

Jaune had awakened back to reality when he heard Weiss' voice. He couldn't even stop to ask himself what in the hell he just experienced before he was tackled. Just as he was, the sound of wood being pierced could be heard. Trying to pry open his tired eyes, he looked up at Weiss' angry, yet relieved face. Man, he must've been really gone if he couldn't hear that low hum of the airship overhead. How else wouldn't he have known she was here?

"Jaune, what the hell are you doing?" Weiss shouted at him, hastily shoving dust crystals into Myrtenaster.

"Sorry, I- Agh!" He screamed in agony as the throbbing somehow got worse. Small drops of blood became a small fountain coming straight from his nose. What was going on? He gritted his teeth, trying his hardest to keep the tears in.

"What's come over you now?" Weiss demanded. Her eyes widened after seeing just how much pain he was in. "Oh my… stay here. I'll handle this beast on my own."

Jaune's eyes shot open in panic, only to shut again from the pain. "Wait! Weiss, don't! I… I can't cut it properly! I dropped a d-damn tree on it, and n-nothing happened. Who knows how strong that… that… ugh…" What was the point? How could he even hope to stop her if he couldn't even move. He didn't know the battle began until he heard the shrieking of the Grimm, and explosion of dust. Teeth grit in determination, he gripped the hilt of his sword, and pushed himself up with all of his might.

He staggered, vision going double. The only good field of view he got was the tunnel vision of the Demon Grimm just ahead of him, fighting the girl he wanted to protect.

Once again, he fixed himself, only to realize something. The headaches, the dull memories, and everything in between. The fact that its very presence striked so much familiarity with him. There was no doubt about it.

He had fought this Grimm before.

Somehow, someplace, sometime, but he didn't know. It didn't make any sense. If he had fought this thing before, surely he would remember it clearer than this. But no. Only dull throbs of memory and the small traces of familiarity were all he had.

"Weiss…" He called, finally feeling the pain begin to ebb away. "Weiss are you there? Are you okay?" His eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat as a loud explosion just over his head went off, and a shadow loomed over him, getting darker.

He didn't even bother looking up. He just hobbled away as fast as he could, and he was lucky he did. Not very long afterwards, the airship that had brought Weiss had crashed just behind him, splitting trees, and lighting quite a few of them on fire.

Jaune cringed. He didn't need to be a genius to know what caused that.

"Weiss, please! Answer me! Say something!" He croaked. There was no answer. Was he really expecting there to be one? She was probably embroiled in the battle of her life. How could she hear the squeaking of a teenage goofball a good distance away?

Leaning against a tree, he gripped his head, trying to work out of the last of his dizzy spell. Lips pursed, and moaning up a storm, he shook his head violently, taking slower and slower deep breaths, focusing on his core. He had to blot everything out and relax. Only that could get rid of the nausea. And strangely enough, despite the stress and area he was in, it was working.

His vision corrected itself. Finally, he could see the sheets of white snow, and fallen trees around him. With a few more deep breaths, he broke into a steady pace to Oum knows where. Anywhere was better than here.

It was quiet. Aside from the hissing winds, there wasn't a single sound. It was alarming to say the least, especially with what happened earlier. "W-Weiss? You can come out now." Jaune called wearily. "You're kinda scaring me." More silence. "W-Weiss?"

A loud shriek snapped him forward in shock, heart pounding again in his chest. The shriek of the Demon Grimm. "Shit! Shit, shit shit!" He rasped, snapping his head back and forth, searching for his weapon. It was propped into the snow next to him. Hastily, he tore it out, and went into his fighting stance.

Once again, it was quiet. Jaune stood, gasping for air. Somehow, the air grew colder, and his body began to numb, but not from the cold somehow. It was almost like…

" _Can you do it?_ "

Jaune screamed, nearly tossing his sword up in shock. Spinning around, he saw the black armored warrior standing between two trees as if it were a gate. No layers of white covered his armor. The snow didn't touch him. The wind didn't blow the plume on his helmet. It was almost as if he wasn't there at all.

"Did… did you say something?" Jaune managed, holding Crocea Mors steady in from of him.

" _Can you save me?"_

Jaune blinked in confusion. "Save you? From what?"

" _Can you save yourself?"_

"Believe me, I am trying!" Jaune shouted. What was this? Was he going crazy? The knight was speaking, or at least out loud. It was just a voice in his head, loud and clear, deep and uncompromising. A voice that held no weakness, but wanted so badly to be saved.

" _Can you save us all?"_

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jaune shouted, not even bothering to make sense of whatever nonsense this was.

" _Not this place. Not this time. You still need to remember._ _Walk tall, our knight."_

The wind picked up to a vicious degree. Jaune was blinded by a sheet of white that was forced off the ground. Gritting his teeth in focus, he slowly opened his eyes after the winds died down. In that split second, the black armored warrior had disappeared. Jaune got the sudden impression that he wouldn't be seeing him for a while, if ever.

"Who in the…" Jaune muttered to himself. A scream brought his attention elsewhere, although it wasn't the Grimm this time. Jaune gasped. Was that Weiss?

The young knight took off in a mad sprint towards the voice. He wasn't sure how long he had been running, or how far either. All he cared about was getting to Weiss as quickly as possible.

When he finally found his bearings, he found himself back at the collapsed airship, or what was left of it. The large behemoth of a machine was nothing but twisted metal and fire, with bits of machinery and tech scoured about randomly. Jaune was about to rush in to find whoever could be trapped in there, but several large plumes of flames sprouting from it stopped him in his tracks.

There was no point in going in there now. Anyone in there was dead, no question. Jaune bit his lip, bowing his head in a brief sorrow. He muttered a quick prayer before running off and searching for any sign of his friend.

"Seriously Weiss! If you're planning on jumping me, I'm gonna- whoa!" Jaune screamed in alarm as a branch sailed over his head, impaling itself into another tree not far off from his head. "Okay, definitely not Weiss. But where-"

"J-J-Jaune." A tired voice croaked. Jaune's heart sank, sadness filling him. That voice couldn't be his snow angel, could it?

He turned to see her on the ground, covered in bruises and scratches. A three pronged slash wound made blood pool from her shoulder. Jaune called out her name before sliding to her side. "Weiss, speak to me, are you alright?"

She opened her eyes slowly, only to shut them from the pain. "The airship. Are…" she broke into a fit of coughs before she could continue. "Is everyone…" Jaune bit his lip. How could he break this to her? How could he tell her that everyone she brought died? Sadness and grief washed over him just thinking about it.

"Weiss… I don't know what to say… or how to say this but… I... their… go- _on!_ " Jaune's stammering was cut short by the loud shrieking again. He turned around, furious this time. "Oh will you just shut the fuck up!"

The Demon Grimm arose once again, wings charred and missing two nails on its left hand, but still alive and bloodthirsty. The beast looked down at jaune's feet, right where Weiss lay. It grinned, teeth glinting, ready for its next meal.

Anger swelled inside him. A familiar burning sensation filled him. His vision began to dull, changing to a series of different shades of white and red. Without warning, he charged, screaming as loud as he could. All of this fury came from one desire. He must protect Weiss with everything he had. Everything.

One stroke was all it took. Jaune had taken a single sideswipe, and lopped off its head, leaving behind burns somehow. Jaune was about to cheer before one of its claws drew eerily close to his face.

 _Schnick!_

Jaune's head snapped back as if struck by a baseball back. Blood flew from his face at a rate he couldn't fathom. He couldn't see. He couldn't see! What's going on?! The injured blonde let out a panicked shriek, clutching his pain-filled face. It felt like his face was on fire. Through the shock of it all, he sank to his knees, vision cutting out, and fell to his stomach, completely unconscious.

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy. This timeline is coming to a close soon, and next up with be Blake! I actually am looking forward for Blake's timeline, and I hope you are too. Please review! Thanks for your time!**_


	17. Chapter 15: To Her Future (Weiss Finale)

_**Here we are at the finale of the Weiss route, where things finally comes to a close. Hope you enjoy this, so lets get started.**_

* * *

 _Can you do it?_

Jaune's first feeling he felt since before he could remember was complete emptiness. A black, formless, shapeless blob of nothingness surrounded him. His feet never touched solid ground. He didn't open his eyes as there would be no difference. He felt dead. No breath coursed through his lungs. No heartbeat, or signs of life. None that he could feel anyway.

How long had he been here? Logically, he must have been here for quite some time as this place held no fear in him. No feeling of loss, or desperation. As if he had long since grew accustomed to it, and accepted it as his own reality. Something felt different, however. He felt like he was waking up for the first time in ages. An empty dream coming to an end. For the first time in a long time, he was conscious.

 _Can you save me?_

He tried to breath. Nothing yet. He tried to remember something. Anything. He found nothing but a complete blank slate. A minute passed. Another. Still nothing. He tried again, curling his fingers, and concentrating. A chill. Cold, light air flowed down his lungs. Breathing had finally been accomplished, now to find a way out.

 _Can you save yourself?_

A burst of light nearly blinded him. What could that be? Light couldn't be in this void. It was simply impossible. In front of him was a golden clock. The hour hand pointed towards the two, with the minute hand at the nine mark. Trying to make sense of it all, he reached towards the clock, but felt nothing but air.

 _Can you save us all?_

He gasped. More light appeared, enveloping the clock. A speck in the dark that sooned brightened and blossomed to a degree that he could see it through his eyelids. For the first time in a long time, he opened his eyes. A rush of feeling flooded him so fast that he had trouble processing it all. Not even one second in his new surroundings and he had already began to feel overloaded. Although, he was glad to feel at all.

 _Not this place. Not this time. You still need to remember._

 _Walk tall, out Knight._

There nothing but softness under him. It was like he was drifting on a cloud. Oh great, was he still caught in that void? He cracked open an eye. No, he was actually somewhere else. White pristine walls were over him. The stark, lifeless room was full of empty beds lined up symmetrically. Beeping occurred periodically, matching in tune with his slow heartbeat. He must be back in the manor. Taking a deep breath, ignoring the soreness he felt in his throat, tried to open his other eye.

Then the pain started. A pain that cracked through his face, especially on the right side of his face. He gasped, his parched throat croaking as he tried to touch his right eye, only to feel a collection of bandages.

"What is this…" He rasped.

"They're what happens when one gets too reckless." Klein said, stepping out of the open doorway. He sat in the chair next to him, placing a hand over his forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Like I became Oum's personal punching bag, and left out to dry." He muttered. "What happened to me?"

Klein took a deep breath. It seemed he was dreading this moment, secretely at least. "After that demon was killed by you, we heard nothing until Weiss had regained consciousness. I must admit, I feared the worst. She brought you back after that, in this state. That was nearly four days ago. You suffered head trauma, minor contusions and lacerations everywhere, and… and…" He sighed, and held up a small hand mirror.

It wasn't anything Jaune wasn't expecting, especially with the vast amounts of bandages around his face. What drew his attention was the thick of it that covered his right eye. His heart sank like a stone. "Klein… what happened to my eye?"

Klein was silent for a moment. "It was unrecoverable, even with your incredible aura supply. I'm truly sorry." Jaune pursed his lips, feeling an inescapable amount of dread. He cleared his throat trying to hide the oncoming tear. "My boy, I cannot even begin to apologize for what-"

"Is Weiss okay?" Jaune asked.

"Excuse me, my boy?" Klein asked, taken aback.

"Weiss made it back safe and sound, right?" He asked, fighting back the pain as he sat up, a grim, but determined look in his eyes.

Klein's expression changed at that moment. It could only be described as some of the greatest form of admiration a man could give. Klein wasn't looking at a boy crying in pain, begging for some kind of relief, he was staring at a man who did his duty and was proud of it. Such a man he was. "Our lady of the house is fine, thank you. Her aura helped her quite nicely, thank you."

He sighed, relieved. "Good. As long as she's fine, then this is worth it." He wasn't sure who he was affirming that to, Klein or himself. Maybe the shock of losing his eye wasn't muddling his brain. "So where is she anyway? I'd imagine she's… wait… did you say four days? I've been out for _four days?_ "

"I'm afraid so. You've actually woken up ahead of schedule. We anticipated another week or so. In fact, from how dangerous your head trauma was, we thought you'd die yesterday. The will to live is always quite astounding sometimes." Klein said quite nonchalantly, or as nonchalant as you can be when your juggling jokes around a teens life.

"Gosh, Weiss is gonna throw a fit when sh-" Jaune's blood ran cold, eyes widening. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. At the door stood Weiss, completely healed and refreshed, looking cleaner than snow. Her usual white jacket and dress were back on her, along with her signature glare. Silence. Klein cleared his throat loudly.

"Well, I see you have everything under control here, I'll be on may doing… anything but being here." He said, standing up so fast, his chair slid all the way to the other side of the room. "Good luck and Godspeed."

"Wait, don't leave me alone with her!" Jaune cried, reaching his hands out quite dramatically to Klein as he exited the room faster than Dr. Oobleck on the strongest coffee on this side of Remnant. "And he's gone." Jaune muttered, pressing himself into his pillow. Maybe if he pretended to be sleepy, she'll have a little mercy on him.

Apparently mercy was as dead as chivalry because Jaune ended up with a loud slap on his back. "Don't play me for a fool, Arc, I know when you're pretending." She snarled.

"And we're back to that again." He muttered, rolling over and facing her with a wry smile. "How ya doin' Snow… Princess?" He broke to a halt when he saw Weiss' face. Taught tighter than piano wire, her face wore the guise of a stoic, dauntless woman, when that mask was fit to burst. "Um… so I was thinking of going eye-patch shopping. Y'know, make myself look like the biggest boss there is, eh?"

"Damn you Jaune, will you stop pretending like there's nothing wrong!" Weiss shouted, bashing him over the head with her fist a little harder than she wanted to. Jaune gasped in pain, clutching the right side of his head. Weiss drew back, hand to her mouth. "I'm… sorry."

"Don't be. I brought this on myself." Jaune said honestly. "It is my job aftera-"

"Stop." Weiss said. No demand, no screaming, no insults, just one simple request, and it rang louder in his ears than anything else that she could've done or said. Attentively, he sat up straight and listened. "You've spent this last month at the mercy of 'people just doing their job'. It's not your job to cover for me, save me, or anything like that. Friends should never be like that, but you…" She bit her lip. "You've stayed with me so long, and all its done is cause you pain."

"Weiss, trust me when I say I've never been better." Jaune argued.

"Look at yourself!" Weiss cut in, screaming now, tears in her eyes. "This isn't some blasted playground scrapes and bruises, you've lost your eye! You've lost something you can _never_ get back! And all because of… of-"

"How about you stop this time." Jaune croaked. He wasn't sure how it worked, but it did. Now that he had her attention, he had to choose his words carefully. Anything could shatter her in an instant. It was so surreal. Never before had he imagined this. The Snow Princess revealing emotion to him of all people, the loser who made losers looked like Qrow. Who would've thought.

"Try and think of where I was before you. I was on the brink of failure, about to be expelled for being too weak. Being out here with you changed all of that. Look at where I am no- will you _please_ stop staring!" Jaune whined, suddenly feeling self-conscious about his makeshift patch. Weiss shifted her curious gaze away. He sighed, thinking how he'd have to get used to that. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I don't regret a damn thing. You deserve more than I can give, not just 'cuz you're a Schnee, but because you're Weiss Schnee."

Boldly going where no man has gone before, he drifted forward, pressing his burning forehead against hers. Her eyes widened, mouth hanging open, quivering slightly in shock. A faint red hue painted her face, or as faint as it could be with her alabaster skin. "C'mon, smile for me." He said, giving her his brightest one yet. It took a little time and effort, but she eventually did, and it was radiant. Not the cookie cutter, plastered smile she'd give in photos or talks with her family, but a true smile that shines like gold.

"There you go. Have you ever thought of taking a picture of that? It might cause worldwide peace." Jaune mused, stroking her cheek.

Weiss let out a small giggle. "I believe that it would cause worldwide indifference."

Jaune shrugged. "Eh, you never know." He tapped his chin in thought, sporting an eager grin. "Hey, you think when I get a new eye, I could suit it up?" Weiss raised a brow. "Well, I might get this replaced. Hey, you think I could get some X-ray vision or something like that? Ooh! Ooh! Even better! Heat vision! Just like one of the villains from X-ray and Vav!"

Weiss sighed. "I'm stuck with this dunce, aren't I?" She asked the heavens.

"You know it." Jaune said, drifting back to his bed, giddy as can be of the possibilities.

"I suppose I'd better get used to you th-" The door opened with a loud creak. Weiss shot upright, brushing herself off gracefully. Her father stood at the door, eyes taught with anger.

"I suspect that you've an adequate reason for putting your rotten fingers all over my daughter." He growled, fingers gripping the iron frames around one of the bed so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Um, sorry sir, I uh…" He said nervously. It didn't matter just how he secretly despised Jacque, she was still her father, and deserved the respect that came with it. As much respect as Weiss would allow though.

"No matter, daughter, come with me." He said tersely.

 _Daughter? That's it? Just daughter? What the hell was his problem?_

"Listen, you-"

"That's enough, Jaune." Weiss cut in. "I'll go see what father wants from me."

Briskly, though not without giving him a ghost of a smile, he watched her exit the room.

Now, Jaune had his fair share of emotional perks, be it determination, perseverance, and willpower, and just a basic morality code that some lacked. However, if there was one thing he was always short of, it was patience. Waiting five minutes alone, just letting the time pass by him was tedious at best, and torture at worst. Bedridden was never a good look for him, even when he was younger, always getting himself into little scraps.

Ten minutes had gone by before he had enough. Minding whatever was injured, he eased himself out of bed and stumbled to the door, emphasis on stumbled. He must've tripped once or twice trying to reach the door. After spending a few minutes wondering the halls aimlessly, breathing life back into his tired body, he passed by his temporary room, and stared at it.

His rucksack lay by his bed, completely untouched as he hadn't bothered unpacking since he got here. Crocea Mors lay on the bed, delicately put in the middle as if it were a sleeping child. Weiss must've taken care of that.

With a blissful sigh, he marched on, only to be stopped by noises he heard. Shouting to be exact. Jaune shambled along as fast as he could, ending up at the main office where Mr. Schnee worked. Did he forget to mention that eavesdropping wasn't beneath him? Pressing his ear against the door, he listened deftly, hoping Weiss was okay. He could see silhouettes through the white tinted windows, the two shapes seemingly obvious.

"Go back? What is there to go back to? You belong here, with your family!" Jacque shouted.

"Haven't you forgotten father? I'm your daughter, a living, breathing creature! Not some insignificant prize that you put on a pedestal to pawn off. I wanted to be a Huntress simply because that's what I want to do with my life, not run your sorry excuse for a company!" Weiss shouted, presumably slamming her hands on his desk.

"You… you little…" Jacque struggled to get words out. "This company has financed and supported some of the biggest establishments in the world. All of Remnant would be dead and gone without us! And you have the gall to mock everything I've worked for?"

Weiss scoffed. "A company that you stole, by the way."

"How dare you!" Jacque rose up from his seat furiously, his chair falling behind him. "I've spent years supporting you, you ungrateful slag!"

Jaune blinked. _That son of a bitch…_

"Go on then. Use those same words that drove away my mother. Hurt me more. That's all you've ever done." Weiss said in a low, frigid tone.

"What does this school have that I don't? What can it give you that I never have?" Jacque demanded. Papers flew off of his table, one ending up stuck on the other side of Jaune's window.

"They gave me a life." Weiss said rather wistfully. "Friends, true family, choices, a reason to live. Love even!"

"Wh-wha… you… are you referring to that sewer-born bastard?" Jacque demanded.

"That _bastard_ saved my life, something that you barely tried to do, father." She deadpanned. "And for the record, that _bastard_ has given me more than you, or this whole damned corporation ever could give. A future. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let some washed-up, money-driven, scoundrel ever-"

The sound of a slap echoed through the room. Jaune's heart stopped. There was nothing but silence after that. No sobs, no apologies, no reasoning, just utter silence. The smaller silhouette suddenly spun around and walked closer to the door.

"And that is the last you'll ever hear from me, or my family. Good day, Jacque Schnee." Weiss opened the door, and slammed it behind her. She didn't even look surprised to see him standing there next to him. Her expression was unrecognizable, blank and stoic more than anything. She turned to Jaune and said, "I want you packed and at the door in ten minutes."

"Uh, got it." Jaune said quickly, rushing to his room. He was at the door five minutes early, making sure he didn't forget anything. There, he met Klein, who looked rather sad.

"And once again, she leaves Schnee manor behind. Hopefully for something better." He said solemnly.

"Are you gonna miss her?" Jaune asked.

"Of course, my boy. I'm going to miss you too. But, in all honesty, I hope to never see either of you again." Jaune cocked his brow in confusion. "Don't misinterpret my words, dear boy. Seeing you again would mean that you've come back here to Schnee manor, and that is simply something I cannot bare to see."

"Do you want to come with us?" Jaune asked, concerned.

"I would love to, but-"

"Klein has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Schnee Manor. A vow to his master is a butler's law." Weiss said, shocking Jaune by bringing a measly two suitcases, even if they were rather large. "What? I wanted to travel light."

"Light, she says." Jaune mused. Although, this was possibly the lightest she'll ever pack, so he'll take what he can get. "So, what's going on?" he asked in concern.

"I'm casting aside the name of Schnee. I am now whatever I choose to be. Finances are still taken care of. Sister has given me her share of the inheritance. Pre-planned too. One almost might think she predicted this." She said, looking as if a huge weight was being raised off of her shoulders. "Thank you Klein, for everything." she said sincerely with a curtsy.

"'Twas a pleasure." He said happily, giving his maddest grin with a bow. "You as well, Jaune, may we never meet again."

"I… don't get you… but good luck all the same." Jaune said, waving. "Have fun working for the old fart."

The last thing they saw as the doors closed behind them was Klein waving merrily before he escaped from view. The pilot asked where she'd be flying them. Weiss simply said "Home." and off to Beacon they flew. Atlas's frozen wastelands soon disappeared from view. In about a day or so, they'd arrive back at Beacon, with Jaune getting his mission thumbs up. Finally, a future to look forward to. Speaking of which…

"Hey, Weiss." Jaune said, poking her. She turned away from her seats window, and cocked her head.

"Hmm?"

"What do you mean by I gave you a future?" Jaune asked, feeling rather flustered. Weiss drew back slightly, but her surprised glance was quickly replaced by a sly smirk.

"Nothing you need to worry yourself about, Jaune." And she kissed him on the forehead. Just like that. Surprise. Boom. Out of nowhere. Naturally, this left the blonde a stuttering mess, while Weiss contemplated just what kind of future she'd have as a Huntress of her own accord, but more importantly, with her true family.

A familiar blonde snuck into her bright vision of the future. She smiled.


	18. Chapter 16: Slip Of Tongue (Blake Route)

**_Welp... here it is._**

 ** _sorry about it being so late, School hit me with everything it had for the last few weeks till Graduation, and suddenly, I realized after it was all over that I was a month behind. Woops. Well, here's the start of Blake's timeline, enjoy!_**

* * *

Dreams weren't made to be reality. Both of them were as separate as night and day. Jaune knew this, but didn't feel it. Even now, sitting in the halls of Beacon Academy, refusing to open his eyes, he felt like he had lived an entire life in the span of an hour. The dream itself couldn't be remembered. Little details popped up here and there. White snow everywhere. A penetrating, but lovingly soft chill. It elated him, but he had no idea why.

Another little detail arose that shouldn't have. Depth perception. Honest to goodness depth perception. For some reason, he took to time to appreciate it as if he hadn't had it for a very long time. Distances actually took time adjusting. The other end of the hall looked a bit farther than it used to. Where was he again? Oh yeah, the hallway. Why was he sleeping in the hallway? Of all the places that his lazy bones slept, it had to be there? His rear was already numb.

He sighed. Wasn't he finding something? A partner. That's right, he needed a partner for his upcoming mission, and he needed one soon. Why he didn't just ask someone sooner was beyond him. No worries though. Team RWBY and his team should still be up. After all, it's only-

" _Ten O-clock?!"_ Jaune all but shrieked, eyes wide as dinner plates when he stared at the clock on the wall.

What the hell was he doing just sitting there? Tick-tock, tick-tock, time's a-wastin'! Shooting up from his makeshift seat, he sprang to his feet and took off towards team RWBY's room, hoping that at least one of them was still awake. Jaune was a good three, maybe four, steps into his sprint before he tripped over his own two feet, giving the floor a nice little kiss when his face planted onto the ground. He thought that maybe his depth perception problem came back to haunt him, but then the dizzy spell started.

Purple spots danced around his vision. Trying to blink them away only made them worse. Clutching his head, grunting and hitching his breath every once in a while, he tried to force himself up only for his weakened, shaking arm to make him drop down to the floor again. Was this headrush? It felt like it, but it had to be different. Headrush never lasted this long, and to this degree.

Vision cutting to black, white lines and spots fleeting through his line of sight, he clenched the carpeted floor below him, trying to get any kind of feeling as his body became numb. He could hear something. No, someone. It was faint, almost intelligible. Warped, distorted, and laced with static. Jaune had to strain himself to hear them, but couldn't make any words out. A woman's voice. The swooping of wings, and an absurdly loud screech made his teeth grind.

He reached out, groping for anything to give feeling back to his fingers. They closed around something. A thick pillar maybe? Running his hands up and down around it, it felt like fabric dragging lightly against his fingertips. He gripped it for dear life, pulling himself to his feet as the sensation began to dull. His vision went to a blur, then gradually returned. No more voices or screeching. The world had come back, though he wondered why it left him in the first place.

Feeling returned to Jaune's fingers, leaving him to wonder what he had gripped onto to begin with. Perhaps a curtain maybe? Someone cleared his throat above. Jaune paled. Blinking the last of the dots out of his eyes, he looked up to see Ozpin, staring at him blankly while Jaune gripped his shirt. Jaune blinked. Did he… no he couldn't have, right? Please someone, anyone, tell him that he didn't just accidently feel up his principle?

"Mr. Arc, I understand you're happy to see me, but if you would please stop what you're doing, that would be wonderful. The staff may have to wrong idea, after all." Ozpin said cordially, chuckling when Jaune squeaked and took his hands off his suit jacket.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to do that, I swear!" Jaune rambled. "You see, I-I was dizzy, and I couldn't see you, y'know?"

"Are you sure you want to deny your feelings?" Ozpin asked, smirking. The mirth and mischief in his eyes nearly drove Jaune up the wall in embarrassment. "Be honest with yourself. The closet doesn't want you back. Though, are you sure about me? I am a little older than most."

"Sir please!" Jaune whined, covering his face. Of all the people, why him?

"Heh, my apologies. I just needed a bit of fun before this meeting that I have to attend, I couldn't resist." Ozpin said, the merriment in his face not leaving his face.

"At this time of night?" Jaune asked, raising a brow. Ozpin simply shrugged. "Oh, um, then I won't keep you waiting. G'night, professor." Before Jaune could rush past him, the older man's hand closed around his shoulder, stopping him instantly.

"Hold it, Mr. Arc. Tell me, who's your partner for tomorrow's mission?" Ozpin asked robotically. Jaune pursed his lips, feeling red coming back to his face. Why was he even bothering to ask? The answer was more obvious than Ren and Nora's relationship. The young knight cringed, expecting that magic word called expulsion to come in and end his life, but on the contrary, Ozpin grinned. "Good. Then come with me. I acknowledge how boring these types of meetings are, but if you would do your best to pay attention, it would benefit both of us."

"Excuse me, what?" Jaune asked, just to clarify.

"To put it simply, a chance finding of a certain document may be putting one of my students in harm's way. Due to my position, there's not much I can do about it on my own. But with you, she may at least have a chance." Ozpin explained, clutching the blondes shoulder. "Please, come with me, if you can keep your hands off me, that is."

"Professor…" Jaune whined pathetically, clutching his face again. Ozpin clapped Jaune on his shoulder, and beckoned him to walk with him. The halls were dead silent, natural for this time of night. There was almost a certain nip in the air. A bitter chill that rattled his bones. The dream made him feel uneasy. Reality didn't make it better. Occasionally, he would teeter against the wall, dragging his shoulder across the wall, trying to support himself as his legs began to get weak. By the time that he arrived at Ozpin's office, he was nearly on the floor.

"Do you need help?" Ozpin asked patiently. "The nurse isn't too far from my office. Perhaps-"

"N-No professor. I'm fine. Just… _ulp_ … gimme a second." Jaune folded over, cupping his mouth, stomach threatening to betray him. Tonight had been a major rollercoaster so far, and he had yet to figure out why. His head blatantly refused to work. Subconscious memories that didn't seem like they were phasing through him rapidly, almost like it was trying to tell him something, but not even it knew what it was.

He pressed his hands against his knees, and pushed himself up again. His face pale and sweaty, but eyes determined, he gestured towards the door. Ozpin nodded and opened it.

A burst of warm air smacked Jaune in the face. The tension of the room weighed him down like an artificial gravity. Jaune swallowed hard, face bursting with sweat. Ozpin stepped in, drifting seamlessly through the tension. Jaune followed suit, lips once again pursed, tense with anticipation of whatever came next.

The office was built like clockwork, quite literally in fact. Continually moving gears and tumblers turned routinely under the glass floor, making it shake every so often. The walls were a thick black, and held many pillars around it. The outside sky could see through the gaping wipe openings just over the walls. In the middle was a large table, where two men sat, surrounded by six Alesian Knights. The brown haired, regal looking man in the white high ranking Atlas suit glared at them both.

"Professor Ozpin." He said, curtly bobbing his head.

"Lieutenant Klaus." Ozpin said, doing the same. "What brings you out here this fine evening?" Jaune blinked. How can a man keep such a calm exterior in the face of such a glare. Klaus' permanent death glare put Weiss to shame. There was quite a lot of discipline and loathing behind those eyes, but it wasn't directed at him or Ozpin.

"Playing the fool isn't going to save you this time, Ozpin." Klaus said crossly, narrowing his brows. "Being here tonight is far from how I would prefer to spend it. Especially with some of the mess you keep about. Now down to business. Take a seat, if you please." he gestured to the seat on the other side in front of him. Jaune had to strain to hear, but he definitely heard a scoff out of Ozpin. Brushing past the table, he sat deliberately slowly at his office desk.

"Business first then. What are you doing at my school?" Ozpin asked bluntly.

"We believe… who is that boy?" He asked, casting a suspicious glance on Jaune.

"That'd be my assistant for tonight, Jaune Arc. I thought it would be fitting considering your assistant today will be joining us." Ozpin explained.

"Fair enough. Now, we believe-"

"You are harboring a terrorist." Klaus' bored looking assistant finished. Klaus glared at him. His assistant all but ignored him and continued. "We have found evidence of a white fang member currently under your wing."

"Excuse me?" Ozpin said in mock surprise. "What evidence is this?"

"We have-"

" _Ahem!_ " Klaus cleared his throat so loudly that Jaune thought a frog was trying to fight its way out of his throat. "Alister, I would prefer you not speak out of line again unless you want to be reduced in rank on the spot. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir." He drawled, leaning back into his chair. Jaune could tell that the man wanted nothing more than to leave right now. He could relate.

"To be perfectly honest, I never would've found this if a young Atlas cadet hadn't gotten sick and ran from his surveillance post, and I had to look up past records. In these records, a young woman has been caught on camera during a several White Fang robberies, and bombings. Now, while her moral in leaving this radical group and taking up the fight against them has been called into question, her actions have not. We want to take this woman under our custody for further questioning." Klaus said briskly.

Ozpin slowly cleared his throat. "And the name of said student?"

"Blake Belladonna."

Jaune's heart sunk like a weight. Blake was a White Fang member? While he didn't know her too well, he never expected this. Still, he couldn't bring himself to judge her. He never could. It just wasn't part of his nature.

"I see." Ozpin said, sipping his hot co-co. "I hope you know that surveillance cameras can be heavily modified. We've all seen it time and time again."

"Perhaps." Klaus said, knitting his fingers. "However, Ms. Belladonna should have a black brand on her back. It's shown up in our records through youngest female members. We will be checking her to see if this mark is there."

Jaune once against had to strain to hear, but he heard a little snicker out of the assistant. Jaune's face burned a little with anger. That man was thinking of frisking her himself. Jaune just knew it. Apparently, Ozpin knew too, because he gripped Jaune by the wrist, keeping his palm flat on the table, narrowing his eyes on Klaus.

"Did you just tell me you plan to strip search one of my students on a whim?" Ozpin demanded. "In my school, no less."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." Klaus said, almost sadly. "Neither do I. Please bear with me, I-"

"Lieutenant Klaus, I refuse to let one of my students-"

"Ozpin!" Klaus loudly said, planting his palms forcibly onto the table, making a resounding crash. "This isn't something I'd rather do either. But our duties remain different. You protect the students. I protect the world, anyway I see fit. I can't let this get in my way, no matter how amoral this makes me."

Silence followed. Ozpin knitted his fingers under his chin, eyes closed in thought. The tension couldn't be thicker. Jaune was half convinced he could've sliced through it. "Do you understand the ramifications of your accusation?" he asked quietly.

"I do."

"Both for me and your military."

"I do."

"And the amount of damage I could single-handedly inflict on your entire infrastructure."

"I… do." Hesitation. The first sign of fear. Jaune knew that all too well.

"Then do as you please." Jaune's head whipped to him in shock.

"Professor, you can't ju-"

"But know your boundaries lieutenant." his voice darkened a shade, almost to the point of a growl. "Stay within ethical standards. I swear by all that's good and holy, if I see or hear of anything unsavory happening to Ms. Belladonna, or anyone in my care for that matter, I will tear you, your assistant, and your entire military asunder with naught but this cane." He smacked the bottom of it against the glass for cracking it with minimal effort. "And as a man of few threats, you know what I'm capable of. Do I make myself clear?"

"Transparently. I'll set up the investigation team, and send them to her room within the hour. Thank you for your cooperation. I will send my assistant on after her to help ease her." He said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"No trouble. My own assistant, Mr. Arc will take care of that." Ozpin said, leisurely pointing to Jaune, who cocked a brow.

"I'm doing what now?"

"Why him?" The assistant asked dully. "It looks like a breeze'll blow this kid from here to Vacuo. Why is he even here?"

"I can assure you that Mr. Arc represents the best of our students." Ozpin said simply. "More than enough to handle this simple task."

"Pfft, what can a little hunter in-training do that an army can't." He scoffed, standing up.

"Alister…" Klaus said in a low, aggravated tone. "We came here to investigate, not start confrontations."

Alister shrugged. "What's the matter with a little honesty? Hunters are unnecessary, you know that more than I do. The best they have is access to aura, and a snazzy little weapon. This kid doesn't even have a suitable weapon for his expertise. He's not worth it. Here, I'll show you." His hand blurred. Sliver glinted in the knight's eyes. Jaune's heart skipped a beat.

Everything became a blur of colors. Jaune's body moved against his will. Wind parted at the speed of his hands closed around the young man's wrist. His face fell like a weight. Twisting the joints in his wrist, he wrenched the silver gun out of the man's hands, letting it drop and clatter onto the ground.

Gripping Alister's hand with both of his own, he pushed the man back with his shoulder, and twisted in the other direction, sending the assistants legs flailing, and back slamming into the grass floor. Alister cried out in surprise and pain, trying to comprehend what just happened. Jaune, once again, wasn't to far behind him.

Alesian Knights had their rifles primed for fire, already aimed at his skull, by the time Jaune pushed himself to his feet. The blurring colors struck once again, he was on the other side of the room, jerking back and forth to avoid the burning gunfire. Jaune's hand pushed the side of the rifle butt, closed in on the side of the robot, and wrenched the rifle out of its hand. He spun around to the other end of it, letting it take the gunfire he would have taken.

The robot twitched and spasmed madly as bullets tore through its chassis like a hot knife through butter. Jaune rolled to the side, gun in hand.

It took him that amount of time to process that he had the gun in the first place. How could he use this if he'd never shot a gun before in his life? He could barely even see them through the blurring. How'd he do this to begin with?

All those thoughts were pushed aside when he instinctively pulled the trigger. Crack. One went down, sparks and bits of metal flying from its skull. Crack. Two down, taken by the head again. Crack. Crack. Three. Four. One more was about to fly before the gun was wrenched from Jaune's fingers, a boot hit his knee, and another to his chest right afterwards. Jaune's back hit the ground, forcing a grunt out of him.

Klaus stood over him, solemn and steady. By the time the blurrs disappeared and his body relaxed, Jaune expected in dread to have another gun pointed at his head. None were there to his surprise. On the contrary, Klaus offered him a hand up, and he took it.

"I must apologize for my assistants behaviour. I swear on my behalf of the Atlas Corp that none of us condone this kind of acts. Trust me when I say he will be punished for this." He bowed his head down slightly. "Please forgive me for not watching over him correctly."

"U-uh… yeah… sure." Jaune croaked in shock, still completely in awe at what he just did.

"Quite an impressive display, Mr. Arc." Ozpin said, smiling. If that was old man was surprised, he must've hidden it under the poker face of a god. Jaune nodded slowly.

"I… don't know what just happened. My body just well… moved on its own." Jaune stammered, trying to make sense of everything.

"It's fine lad. Now, you have a friend to go help, am I correct?" Klaus asked, gesturing to the door.

"Uh, yeah… I'll see you guys later."

Jaune sprinted out the door, almost tempted to stamp on Alister, who was still on the floor in shock, but ignored him and carried on. The moment the door closed, Klaus turned to Ozpin, smiling. "Systema? That's quite a tricky martial art to teach a young man."

"I didn't. Honestly, I'm just as shocked as you are." Ozpin said, wringing his fingers again.

"I'm especially impressed that he learned something that only the Schnee's teach their best bodyguards. He must be close to Ms. Schnee, right?" Klaus asked.

Ozpin smirked. "Maybe. I don't think so this time."

Klaus raised a brow, then shrugged. "My investigation team will be here within the hour. Please don't add any more trouble than we already have." Klaus marched out of the room, dragging the assistant with him, berating him under his breath. Ozpin waited until the door was closed before taking his scroll out and began recording all the details he could to Jaune. He hit the send button, hoping Jaune would pull through in the end.

What was that? What was any of that? Questions. Constant, constant questions drove him mad. His body ached a little from his blazingly fast movements, something that he didn't know he could do. Hand-to-hand combat had never been Jaune's forte. He never even thought he could do it. But those kills weren't his own. They couldn't be. The way it exhausted him. The way it confused him. The way his body moved on his own. It felt more like muscle memory than anything else.

Still, he couldn't deny just how awesome that was. Disarming a trained Atlas member, then scrapping five other robots? Pretty kickass if he could say so himself. In his elation, he barely noticed his scroll vibrating.

"A message from Professor Ozpin?" He muttered to himself, staring at his scroll. "Alright, let's see what you want."

Pressing the receive button, a silver holographic image of Ozpin flared to life, right in front of his face.

" _Jaune, I'll be brief. Klaus has the best of intentions in mind, but the others don't. Do not let them take Blake under any circumstances. I don't know whether or not she has the mark. If she doesn't, then this will pass. If she does…" He clenched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Then I need you to accompany her to Menagerie, where she'll have a chance to prove her innocence and willingness to fight for our cause. Don't concern yourself yet with all the details, just believe in what I'm telling you, and trust me. That is your mission. Please, don't let me down."_

Jaune gulped, picking up the pace with a new destination in mind. He had to see a mark on her back. How'd he go about that? Catch at a 'wrong' time? Peep through a window? Just _ask_? Why would Ozpin tell him to do this and not tell him how?

Before he knew it, he was mashing his fist against the door.

 _C'mon, you're already here, Jaune. Figure out something to say. It's not that hard, right? Just ask if there's a spot on her ba- wait, what if she lies? What if she stabs his eyes out for even asking? Oh no, oh no, the doors opening, think, think, THINK!_

"What's with all th-" Jaune without thinking, rammed headfirst into the open door, flattening Yang on the other side. _Okay, Ruby's on her bed, looking at you like you've lost your mind, which you probably have. Weiss is at her desk, doing the same. Yang is currently making out with the wall. Blake is… right there!_

 _Think fast!_

"B-blake! Can you take off your top?!"

* * *

 ** _And it appears the mighty Arc luck has screwed Jaune over again. The ending to this chapter ended up funier than I originally intended, but no complaints here. Please tell me what you think. It helps me out, and inspires me to make more. Adios!_**


	19. Chapter 17: Breaking Out (Blake Route)

_**For those who don't know, I am setting a schedule for myself. I will update ALL my stories once a month. This is due because of family issues. Thanks for understanding. Sorry for the wait, and please enjoy.**_

* * *

Time stopped. That was the best way for Jaune to describe it. Time froze on the spot. Ruby sat at an awkward position on her bed, unblinking, looking as if some random person in the middle of a street just up and slapped her in the face. Weiss sat similarly at her desk, eyes wide as dinner plates, mouth agape, pencil balanced perfectly by the tip of her finger, completely unmoving. It was quite impressive, actually. Blake didn't move. In fact, it looked like she wasn't breathing.

Jaune stood like a deer caught in the headlights. Options were weighed, despite there not being much. What else could he do or say now? There was one option though. And it may just save him. "Well, it's been fun, Good night everybody!" Jaune said as casually as he could, slowly backing out. The moment he got past the door frame, time resumed in a horrifying way. Two sets of hands closed on his hoodie, slowly dragging him in. "Wait! Stop! I'm too young, I tell ya! Too young!"

The door slammed shut. He was spun around, made to sit against the door, eyes darting to the four teenage girls, who looked like they wanted to individually tear him apart. What does Jaune do in the presence of a these femme fatales? Why smile like a goofy idiot of course. That did take a bit of the ire out of their eyes though, aside from Yang, who looked prepared to crush poor Jaune Jr. Although, he was more concerned why that threat was the first thing that popped into his head.

"Alright, Arc, I gotta admit. Guy's have done some ballsy things at our door at night before, but you have just shattered all expectations." Yang seethed, digging her fingers into her folded arms. "Just like I'm gonna shatter every bone in your bony body!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Jaune shrieked, hands raised in defence. "Am I allowed a few seconds to plead my innocence?"

"I'll give you a few seconds to write your will, Dead Boy." Yang growled, cracking her knuckles.

"Don't you mean Vomit Boy?" Jaune asked hopefully.

"I know what I said!"

A slight of silver stretched across Jaune's vision. Sharp gasps fired from his throat. The world turned an odd shade of azure as his senses skyrocketed out of control, on the verge of overload. Sharp screeching pierced his eardrums, forcing his his hands over them. Rapid smells burst through his sinuses, flowers scents, vanilla extracts, perfumes everywhere, natural scents mashing together, making for one hell of a trainwreck in his head. He clutched his head, gasping and groaning, hoping for this wave of over-exposure to pass.

The first cause that Jaune thought of was whatever condition or sickness he contracted back in that hallway that put him on the floor. This was different. Much different. There was no dizziness or nausea. No random images and memories that weren't his to fire into his head. None of that. Just pure pain that confused both him and the team surrounding him. Blake, however, had been following his movements with an odd expression, something akin to confusion and recognition.

"Whoa, uh… that's a first." Ruby muttered to Weiss, legitimately confused. "You think he's sick?"

"Wouldn't surprise me." Yang replied, equally shocked.

"That miscreant better not make a mess on our floor." Weiss growled. "What say you, Blake. He does seem to be pining for your…" She cleared her throat. "Attention." Blake said nothing. She simply narrowed her eyes down the blonde, contemplating her next move.

Almost a full minute later, the overload slowly calmed down. The screeching died down gradually, making sounds more clear. Not just sounds in the room, but everything outside as well. A certain rhythm of thumps made him think that it was his heartbeat, but it sounded like it came from downstairs. The sound of military boots on the ground, moving in sync with each other, probably four soldiers. Jaune's eyes shot open.

Time slowed to a crawl, becoming a familiar blur. Sitting here wasn't doing anything. He needed to act now, or he'd fail his mission before it began and an innocent woman would get prosecuted. Without a second though, he dashed over to Blake, taking the entire team by surprise, gripped her thighs, and rammed his head into her stomach, taking wind out of her. Hoisting her off her feet, he charged to the bathroom, ramming the door open before putting Blake down, and kicking the door shut.

"W-what the hell are you doing?" Blake demanded, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, you know, just burrowing deeper and deeper into the hole my lack of social skills created. Nothing too big." Jaune said quickly, locking the door behind him. "Okay, I know how this looks, but with them around, I won't be able to get a word out. This is important, hear me out, then by all mean, eviscerate me if you want."

Even with her glare, she nodded. "Fine. But I'd say you have about a minute before that door comes crashing down." Most girls would have shattered every bone in his body by now. Jaune was lucky that Blake wasn't one of them, and was at least somewhat compliant. The door didn't stand much of a chance of lasting too long though. A good two or three punches from Yang would knock it right off its hinges.

Jaune didn't waste anymore time. "Alright, uh, let's see… Professor Ozpin just said I'm supposed to take you to someplace called Menagerie to sort out your innocence. And I… uh… Look, I know how hard this to believe but-" he trailed off staring at her face.

That look of skepticism was all it took to stop him. Not a word of this was being believed. Jaune couldn't blame her. Barging into her room demanding inadvertently that she strip off her top didn't help his case much. Denial would be the first thing to come to mind if the roles were reversed. Even so, denial on her part wasn't what he needed right now. Whether she had the mark on her back or not, Klaus and his assistant were insistent about bringing her in. Time wasn't on his side.

"Jaune, you might want to quit while you're ahead. I get it. You have a thing for me, and got desperate. But you don't know me in the slightest. Don't dig yourself deeper." Blake said with a stark bluntness to it, talking with the most blank expression she could muster. Ever the grace under pressure. That very same calm attitude frustrated Jaune to no end.

"Oh for the love of Oum, listen to me, dammit! Can't anyone just take me seriously for one freaking minute!" Jaune shouted, losing his patience. "All I need to see is this tattoo on your back. You think I'm doing this because you think I have the hots for you? No! I'm doing this to save you ass!"

Blake blinked, taken aback. The blonde had always been quite an enigma to her. Goofy, honest, boisterous, nervous, unlucky, lazy, chivalrous, old fashioned, quite a lot of things she barely saw in men garnering for her attention. Thanks to all this, she never would've expected him to be this vocal and even vulgar. Swearing just didn't sound right coming out of his mouth. That tone spoke many words too. Desperation, impatience, hope and anger all at once.

Menagerie wasn't a place many human's knew existed, especially a person like Jaune, who barely kept his nose above a comic book, barely knowing anything about the world. The 'Arc word' as it were had yet to be questioned either. Jaune seemed honest enough, and even when trying to get Weiss' attention with odd scheme after scheme, he never did anything this drastic. Maybe the best she could do was humor him a little, at least until she had a firmer grasp on the situation.

"And if you're lying?" She challenged first.

"Then I guess I'm officially Beacon's most daring pervert." Jaune said with a shrug. "Honestly, at this point, I've got nothing to lose."

"One last question." Blake said, standing up and straightening herself.

"Can it wait?" Jaune asked, looking at the door, expecting it to be busted down any minute.

"No. Why did you ask me to strip?" She deadpanned.

Jaune cringed. His little blunder did sound like that, didn't it. "Oh yeah, that, I was supposed to see some kind of mark on your back. Some weird looking flower."

Blake's eyes went wide, then went neutral again, all in one fell swoop. After a bit of hesitation, she spoke again. "Fine. Go back and pack. Be out this room in ten minutes. Don't be late."

"As long as Yang doesn't maul me the moment I open the door, I'll be back in five."

* * *

Lieutenant Klaus wasn't a man who knew hate. Despite his place of birth, Atlas, being reputable for its pride and prejudice, the leader wanted nothing of it. Enough pain and despair had traveled around the Kingdom. Bringing it to Vale's relatively peaceful was the last thing on his agenda, but his position demands complete obedience in order to restore and maintain peace wherever it is, however he can, even if it mean abandoning those morals.

Faunus's were no different to him than humans. While a good chunk of his senior officers would disagree, that was how he felt. Those same feelings brought him to question why bringing one faunus girl from a serene cell of the White Fang warranted this much attention from his officials. Two Bulkheads carrying seventeen soldiers each? Five members of a regional firing squad? This was fit more for hardened criminals, not a girl trying to escape from said criminals.

Orders were orders. Contemplating that took up most of his hour. Sitting at his desk, with his untouched coffee, neatly aligned paperwork, and polished revolver propped just at the base, he wrung his hands, pressing his face against them. What did they want so badly from her that they'd go to this length? The girl looked innocent enough. She almost looked like his daughter in a way, only older, more compromosing, more independent. And that Jaune boy. What to make of him?

The door of his bulkhead office was flung open, a rookie soldier just older than twenty rushing in, quickly going to attention. "Sir, we spotted the blonde hunter in-training wandering the halls. Five or our soldiers located him. He's carrying a weapon and a large rucksack. How do we proceed?"

Klaus sighed, closing his eyes. So, that's what Ozpin's game is. "Detain him immediately. Bring him in for interrogation. Do we have other eyes on him?"

"Yes sir. Ozpin has been kind enough to give us a direct feed of his security system. All available cameras are at your disposal. The feed should come to your computer monitor soon." The rookie said, briefly gesturing the screen on his desk.

"Very well. Move to intercept both of them. Belladonna is not to leave unless we take her, understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"Dismissed." The rookie saluted before walking out the door. Klaus rung his hands again, bracing his forehead against it. What an interesting night this turned out to be. An anticlimactic end might be a blessing and a curse.

With a few taps of his keyboard, a flickering blue screen showed several empty halls of Beacon Academy. Nobody roamed aside from stragglers just racing to their dorms before they get called out for breaching curfew, a couple making out in a storage room, and… other activities that he wanted to erase from his head the moment he saw them. Teenagers these days. The only feed that caught his attention was a suspicious looking blonde boy, stalking across the hall, constantly looking over his shoulder. Ozpin's little assistant.

Subtlety probably wasn't his repritoir then. What would he expect from a boy with possibly the worst grades and combat record in school seen in nearly fifty years. Lack of talent surely couldn't be the case. The boy had torn apart his own assistant, who was a five year veteran in his own right, not to mention destroying several pieces of Atlas tech nearly barehanded. The Arc boy was an enigma to say the least.

About four or soldiers surrounded him, demanding answers. No sound came through the feed. Probably done by intent. No use getting angry about that. Jaune looked visibly panicked, as any kid would, but not the panic he would've expected. Being grouped up and interrogated would make him look surprised and horrified, like a rat backed into a corner. Instead, he looked like he had just ran out of crucial time. That confirmed his theory then. Ozpin never was one to play fair.

The faux interrogation lasted for nearly five minutes. Jaune kept it quiet, but he was backing up for most of the conversation. The soldiers had picked up on that too, quickly approaching him as he was about to run. The moment the soldiers hand clasped around his wrist, Jaune reacted in a way that Klaus was half expecting. A way that kept him on the edge of his seat in interest.

That look in his eyes. That innocent, weak-hearted gaze shifted like the flip of a coin, now sharpened, focused, predatory. There was even a certain daze to it, a phantom behind the eyes, trying to make him remember something. Jaune gripped the soldiers wrist, surged forward until they were near shoulder to shoulder, twisted, then sent the man flying over his back, flailing into the wall. Two soldiers were dazed. One unlucky soul was not.

Quick to raise his pistol, he fired at the hunter in-training. Jerking and rolling away from each shot, Jaune closed in, slid between the legs of the man, kicking his knee out at the joint, gripping his arm from under at the elbow joint, twisted once more, and sent the man flipping through the air.

He didn't give the dazed soldiers time to respond before charging headfirst into one, seizing him in a full on tackle, ramming him into the wall hard enough to nearly break through it, leaving large cracks. The final had managed to land a punch before being flung himself, right into the security camera, blotting it out in static.

"Damn." Klaus muttered, eyes darting from feed to feed. After nearly losing hope, and patience, he spotted Jaune sprinting down the hall, that same innocent, shocked gaze in his eyes again. He limped as well, clutching his sore right arm. Clearly, whatever he was doing, his body wasn't used to doing it. This boy was something else, fluidly using techniques that are set for veterans, but with the aching of an old man.

Klaus sat back in his seat, staring at the roof. Quite an interesting night indeed. Whatever the outcome, maybe he could learn a thing or two more if he just sat back and waited.

* * *

Jaune's sneakers clomped loudly as he bounded down the hall, sore and sick. His body was not prepared for whatever that was. All those complex motions, twists, and rolls made his body a quivering mess. The same blurs had ran through his reality again, leaving him confused. The sensory overexposure earlier only added to that. Something wasn't right. Something wasn't adding up. It was as if something was in his head, trying to break out. And it with the crazy night he's been having, it just made his growing temper wose.

Nothing today was going right. Nothing. Something so simple as seeing a mark shouldn't have erupted into this cluster of misfortune. And no one will listen to him. No one. That's just how those girls were with other boys, even when they had the greatest of intentions. Not now though, they were gonna listen whether the liked it or not.

Arriving at team RWBY's room, guarded by Yang at the door, he was halted by her crimson eyed glare. "Alright, Arc, I-"

"I don't care!"

Jaune hadn't seen such a rapid shift in emotion before. Yang went from dead-eyed glaring to complete shock as if he had just smacked her dead in the face without warning. To be honest, with the night he had, he was half tempted to.

"Jaune, you better no be talking to me li-"

"No. Shut up. I don't care. The craps I give have flown south for the winter, and died on the way there." Jaune cut her off. "I don't have time for thi- Dammit!" Jaune swore loudly as two soldiers clad in altesian armor rushed up to him, shouting for him to get on his knees.

As his heart and pulse raced, the blurring came back, alongside his body moving on its own. Jaune surged forward faster than the soldiers could see, unleashing a forward kick to the farther one's chest, crushing his body armor and sending him flying. The other didn't have time to react before his elbow met his head, sending almost as much pain through Jaune as the soldier. As the soldier fell unconscious, Jaune clutched his elbow, angrily swearing up a storm.

"What's with all the racket? Oh, it's you." Weiss hissed, walking out of her door in her nightdress. Jaune's jaw ticked. No. Not her right now.

"Uh, Weiss, right now I wouldn't-"

Weiss cut Yang off abruptly. "Listen, Arc. I've had it up to here with your shenanigans. Either vacate yourself, and leave us alone, or-"

"Shut up!" Jaune screamed, finally losing his mind. "Shut up! Shut up! For the love of Oum, will you shut up and listen?" Weiss mimicked Yang's shock. Blake was right behind her, gaping with her. Jaune's harsh breathing didn't help the mood either.

"Have you _seen_ how my damn night's been like? I'm getting attacked by soldiers randomly, then I get attacked by four crazed girls over an honest mistake, then more soldiers. Then more crazy women, and then, guess what, _more effing soldiers!_ And none of you, not _one_ of you listened to a damn word I said! I'm tired of trying to be nice right now. I'm tired of being labeled as the bad guy for just trying to help. All I want to do is do this mission and come back, that is it! Now, if you would all be so kind, _get the fuck out of the way!_ "

Yang bounced back at the sudden scream, as anyone would. Weiss was already back in her room, muttering a quick apology beforehand. Blake slowly stepped out of the room, not taking her eyes off of him. "Um… you okay Jaune?"

Jaune sighed into his hand. "Just. Move."

"You know you're late, right?" Jaune glared at her, looking as if he wanted to strangle her. Not too far off, actually. "Fine, I'm moving."

"Great." Jaune muttered, reaching for his scroll and calling Ozpin. "Sir, I've got her. Now what?"

"What do you think? The lockers double as shuttles, right?" Professor Ozpin asked simply.

"You expect us to escape in this?" Jaune asked disbelievingly pointing at the locker beside him.

"Mr. Arc, how would you like to take a bullhead out in the midst of a schoolwide investigation? Or maybe, go out the front door. Or better yet, walk into their waiting arms. I'm sure they're interrogation methods do wonders on the body." Ozpin said, tone dripping with sarcasm.

Jaune growled, ruffling his own hair. "Fine. Locker it is."

"Right then. Good night, and good luck. See that she gets there safely." The line cut off after that.

Jaune heaved out one last sigh. "You heard him, right?"

"Unfortunately." Blake murmured back.

"Then let's not waste time." He said, wrapping his fingers in aura, and violently ripping one of the locker doors open. Whatever contents that were inside were carelessly tossed out, courtesy of Jaune's increasingly bad mood. Occasionally, Blake would tell him to be careful, only for him to growl back at her and get more messy.

"Can you fit?" Blake asked.

"Can you?" Jaune retorted.

"Cut the attitude, Jaune." Blake said swiftly.

"Or what? You'll but me? Shoot at me? Why am I even doing this? Oh yeah, because I'll get kicked out if I don't. Now if you want me to cut this rightfully given attitude, then just don't talk. At all. For the rest of the night." Jaune growled, forcing his tall, skinny stature into the cramped locker. Blake glared at him before fitting herself in as well, pressing Jaune against the locker wall, and closing it behind her.

Jaune's heavy breathing fogged the mirror at the inside of the door. For a good few minutes, neither budged. That time was what he needed. Some peace and quiet. And who would've thought he'd find it cramped with a hot girl in a locker, about to launch to Oum knows where. As blake set the coordinate with her free hand, she said, "You know that some of that was your fault, right?"

"Not now, Blake." Jaune deadpanned.

"Well, if you didn't barge in, demanding me to strip, you wouldn't have half the trouble you do now." Blake said pointedly.

Jaune sighed, contemplating this. "I guess so."

"And, I'm sorry about everything else. I know you are just trying to help. Not many people would help a stranger." Blake said, almost sorrowfully. "Especially someone like me."

Someone like her. A girl who'd probably faced nothing but hatred since she was born. A girl who's trust was not easily earned. A girl who no doubt saw things that no child should ever see, done things no one ever should, and regretted just being alive. Jaune could feel that shoved down sorrow now. Jaune stared somewhat angrily at her ribbon, wishing it wasn't there. Slowly, he wormed his hand out of its cramped spot, and pulled at the off the ribbon, letting her cat ears free.

She indignantly squaked at him, batting away, trying to get that ribbon back, but he kept it tight in his fist. "Don't. You look better with it off." Jaune said softly. Blake stared up at him, head slightly tilted, whether from confusion or not, he didn't know. Then, to his surprise, she smiled genuinely.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

"Anytime." Jaune replied, breathing out the last of his anger. It was then that he finally got a spacial feel of where he was… and glowed brighter than mag torch. There was a beautiful young woman mashed against him in an inclosed space, pressing chest to chest. Any other boy would be floating on cloud nine. Jaune was just wishing the shuttle would just take off already. "Ahem… uh, so Blake?"

"What is it?"

"You know, we may know each other's names, but I don't think we've really been officially introduced." Jaune said with a smirk. "You know, so we can at least graduate away from the whole 'stranger' thing."

Blake scoffed at the novelty of it. "Whatever floats your boat, then. My name's Blake Belladonna."

"Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it!" He finished with a joking wink.

"Are you sure about that?" She asked.

"Not at all." As soon as he finished, the shuttle launched, taking them wherever life had in store for them.

* * *

 ** _Thanks for reading, review what you think and I'll see you later!_**


	20. Chapter 20: Trust Issues (Blake Route)

**_NOW! To those wondering why I've been gone so long, I've been dealing with a lot of personal problems as of late. Problems that I'd rather not talk about. Even so, i didn't wanna keep this on the back burner forever. So, Event Recap._**

 ** _Jaune learns some frightening details. Blake was a member of the terrorist group, the White Fang, and his job is to protect her until they get to Menagerie, her home. Sounds dificult enough, espeically with all of Atlas at your back, but something is affecting his mind, giving him skills he never remembered getting..._**

* * *

Rapid beeping was never good to hear when your flying around in a locker aircraft, heading for a direction that you'd never seen or heard of before. The strobe-like red lights blinking in and out were a nice touch too. Whatever it was spelt trouble to Jaune and Blake. There was barely any room to move, let alone escape whatever was going to happen to them. Add the nervous claws of the girl stuck to his chest digging into his back, and you had one of the weirdest rides Jaune has had in his young life.

The locker they were stuck in lurched severely to the left. It shook and spasmed madly, rattling their weapons, and their skulls. Button lights blinked in a solid red off and on repeatedly, smoke pouring out of a few crevices. Carefully as not to touch anything that'll get him killed, he reached around Blake's back, groping for the control switch or brake of some sort. Blake narrowed her eyes into his. He could swear her pupils were becoming slits, ears twitching madly. Better watch his hand, otherwise whatever was happening to this locker would be the least of his concerns.

Jaune carefully gripped the brake lever, desperately trying to get some sort of stability. It wouldn't budge an inch. He clicked his tongue. Of course, nothing had to be simple. After a few more tries, he grew frustrated. Carefully, he managed to snake another hand past Blake, inadvertently bringing her closer to him. Her breath hitched at the sudden touch, and Jaune was surprised his didn't as well with her breasts pressing against his chestpiece. If only he didn't have that on. With one sharp tug, he pulled the lever down a tad too far, removing it from its socket, leaving sparking, open circuits behind.

Jaune blinked, holding the lever as if expecting it to grow wings and fly away. "That can't be good."

"What was your first guess?" Blake snarled, agitated by the awkward flight. "Of all the things Professor Ozpin could ask us to do, it had to be flying away in some rocket-propelled locker in a random direction? Why the hell does he even have these?" She shifted uncomfortably, trying to push Jaune away, but to no avail. There was simply nowhere to push him to.

"Sounds about as dangerous as literally everything else going on in that school." Jaune quipped. "I mean, we live in a school that teaching us to kill the most dangerous creatures known to man, with weapons out the wild zoo, and this is what's stumping you?"

Blake was about to retort, but all that came out was a quick yowl before the entire locker dipped sideways. Moonlight poured into holes made by the sharp decent. Suddenly, the door was flung off of its hinges, falling out into open sky which was much more open a moment ago. Jaune and Blake's paled, looking grim. They were closer to the ground than they thought. There wasn't much for it. Thinking fast was probably the best way he could get them both out of the situation they were stuck in.

"Alright, Blake, I need you to clutch onto m- _easy! Easy! Let me finish!_ " Jaune added quickly, trying to get her hand off Gambol Shroud. "I just need you to clutch onto my back. On my count, I'm going to jump, and shield you from the damage, alright?"

Blake would've argued, wanting to take the blow for him. There was no pride for it either, it was just in her nature. What she also had was common sense. Common sense enough to know that Jaune, being more thickset and able to take more damage, should fair better than her at taking the brunt force. She nodded briskly, digging her claws deeper into his back for emphasis. Jaune winced in pain. That girl should cut those talons every once in a while. She'll cut someone's eye out with those things one day.

Jaune took a deep breath, taking in the rapidly approaching sights below him. Pressing his shoe at the base of the frame, he kicked off, flinging them both out of the locker. His back hit the dirt, making them both roll over the grassy hill beneath them. Sticking a foot out, Jaune forced them to a halt, leaving him clutching Blake, pressing his weight over her. He gulped nervously, not really used to being in this close of a proximity to a girl, red creeping up his face. Blake, however, was far from amused.

"Can I help you?" She asked scathingly. He couldn't blame her much either.

"Yeah, actually, can you help stop this weird crap happening to me on a daily basis?" Jaune replied, pushing himself off of her. He offered a hand to her with a rather goofy smile, in typical Jaune Arc fashion.

"Have you ever tried being normal? Even semi-normal would help." Blake quipped sarcastically, taking his hand and hoisting herself up.

"Blake, I'll be honest, I think my problem is that I'm a bit _too_ normal." Jaune brushed the dirt off of his jeans, and stretched. "Alright, so, how do we get to Menagerie? Should we try the airships?"

"We're on the run from the entirety of Atlas. I'm currently a wanted suspected terrorist, and your aiding and abetting me, as well as the multitude of assault charges you've probably gotten. Are you sure you want to chance government run airships?" Blake asked matter-o-factually.

"Good point." Jaune muttered.

Where they were wasn't much to question. They were in the outskirts of the Emerald Forest, bordering the edge. The steady hum of a waterfall could be heard not that far away. The harsh explosion from the locker impact made quite a clearing, leaving smoldering grass and broken tree bases behind. Bark and leaves lay scattered everywhere, animals clearing the area as fast as possible. Jaune nearly felt guilty for disturbing the peace on what used to be a peaceful night.

A dull throb forced Jaune to his knee. Those same sensations that messed with his head earlier were just lingering there, surging up every so often. Purple dots danced around his vision, nausea filling him. There were faint traces of memories that he didn't think were his swimming in there too. Blake faces. Scents of vanilla. What was happening to him? Those memories couldn't be his. They just couldn't be. He shook his head madly, trying in vain to get the images and sensory overloads to stop. A hand clenched his shoulder, and suddenly, it was over, like flipping off a light.

He looked up at Blake, who stared down at him. The closer he looked at her apathetic gaze, them more he realized how much emotion and concern she held in those golden orbs. They were honestly appealing. Blake was a little too much of a lone wolf for his taste. Always temperamental, intimidating, sarcastic, and difficult to start conversations with. The emotion he saw were those small traces of light in her darkness, and it felt amazing to see.

"No worries, Blake, I'm fine." He said, standing up. "I didn't know you cared that much about me."

"I didn't think you'd go this far for a stranger." Blake said, in a rather low, cautious tone. "What are you getting out of this. Do you expect something from me when this is all over?

Jaune openly cringed. "C'mon, do I really look like someone who'd demand something after helping you. Especially something like that?"

"You did spend the entire year pining for Weiss. Don't think any of us forgot that." Blake retorted, warily taking a step away from him. Jaune growled. Why do people keep doing that? All this mess about a school boy crush that he long since gave up. Sure, he'd been persistent, but after all was said and done, he tried to be better.

"You know what, fine. Yes, Blake, I am doing this for another reason. If I don't do this mission right, I might as well pack up and go home, or just turn myself in. My future is riding on this mission. I'm just trying to be friendly about it." Jaune fumed. "Besides, I thought we weren't strangers anymore. Remember? That wasn't even a few minutes ago."

Blake sighed, looking him dead in the eye. "Look, I know. I'm just a bit on edge. I don't know who I can trust right now, and you can't really blame me. I mean, look at us. This is the longest talk we've ever had, and its under fire from Atlas forces."

"I know." Jaune said, head drifting back, checking the skies for any Atlas bulkheads.

"Are you even sure you want to be my friend?" Blake asked, head cocked.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. I come from a dangerous terrorist group that doesn't eagerly welcome back traitors. Friends typically don't come out of it smelling like roses. The moment they find you, and think you're the one who 'corrupted' me, they'll do anything in their power to kill you. Anything." She said, almost sounding scared. "I nearly lost members of my team so many times because of this. I can't bare to see someone care so deeply for me just die because I got too close."

"That's what this is about…" Jaune muttered. It all made sense. So much danger surrounding your life, hoping for some sort of solace, only to find that the people who could give you that would die at the drop of a hat. Jaune couldn't even begin to understand how much she was probably hurting. In a way, he felt lucky. Not to have not experienced it, but that he could've heard this all from her at all. The air around them had the slightest bit more warmth to it now. Jaune smiled down to her. "Don't worry about it. Nothing'll happen to either of us."

"Don't give me that, Jaune." Blake fired back. "This isn't some magic fairy tale where everything always ends up alright. This is the real world. People die. That's just-"

"The way it is. I get it." Jaune said with a roll of his eyes. "I've had this doom and gloom speech of the 'real world' before. Save it for when I can pretend I've never heard it before."

Blake aggrievedly ran her hand across her face, clearly annoyed. "You sound just like Ruby. Whether that's a good or bad thing is anyone's gue- _down!_ " Blake all but rammed into Jaune full force, sending them both scrambling into a bush. Seconds later, several bulkheads droned by, spotlights shining in nearly every direction, sirens echoing in the night sky. The bulkhead loomed over the flaming wreckage of the rocket locker, hovering over it for a bit, then flew off shortly afterwards.

Jaune sighed in relief, trying to calm down his heart. How unobservant could he be? Missing a hulking vessel coming at him slower than a barge in snow didn't put him at ease when it came to his senses. He had to hand it to Blake though. Her sense of awareness was astounding. Her subtly however lacked quite a bit. Peeking her head over the bushes, she kept him pinned under her, straddling his midsection. Jaune scratched his chin, looking away from her.

"Is it too late for me to mention I was saving myself for marriage?" Jaune quipped, rather flustered.

"What're you talking about?" Blake hissed, stopping only to realize just what she was doing. Blake grit her teeth. "Oum is messing with me, I swear."

"I've been saying the same thing since I could speak." Jaune muttered. "C'mon, I think the coasts clear. Let's get moving."

"Before we do, I want to make sure I can trust you." Blake pressed.

Jaune groaned in frustration. "Seriously, Blake, we don't have time for this. If we fight our way to the mainroad, we should be able to catch a ride on a cargo truck or something."

"How do you know that?" Blake asked suspiciously.

Jaune shook his head, patience almost at a complete lost. There was one last trick that he could try. "Hey, Blake, remember what happened when Ruby did this while we were training? Y'know, what Yang had a fit over?" she narrowed her eyes and nodded slowly. "If you don't get off me, then Ruby won't be the only one getting unintentionally 'poked'."

That did it. Blake sprang off of him, rushing out of the bush and nearly on all fours. Jaune cracked up despite the embarrassment on his flustered face. Standing up and brushing himself off, he strolled out of the overgrowth, giving Blake his warmest smile. "You know I was joking, right?"

Blake cocked her head to the side, brows furrowed. The boy was quite an enigma to her. Someone so seemingly weak, so useless, so out of his league, was hiding a lot more behind those eyes than she could possibly believe. The way he moved, the way he spoke, it was so different to the usual Jaune. The prior Jaune would be this snarky, quick to anger, brave or daring. This was new, almost scary. Still, this side of him was more appealing. She appreciated his strength and wisdom, as well as that slight quirkiness to him. He wasn't boring, and had the type of smile that told her everything was okay.

"Who are you?" Blake asked, almost to herself.

"Jaune Arc. I thought we established this." Jaune said, narrowing his eyes. "C'mon now, Blake. I know I tend to be forgettable, but we just started-" his voice trailed off as he noticed the bushes shifting. Jaune's hand crept to Crocea Mors.

Claw poked from the bush, tearing it asunder, scattering leaves everywhere. Grimm ranging from your basc creeps to Beowulve's to even an ursa crept out of the forest, snarling, drool and foam dripping from their teeth. Their misfortune and distrust must've attracted a small horde of them. That same throbbing pain surged back into Jaune's skull. No. Not now. Overstimulation and weakness would get him killed right now, and depending on Blake felt nearly out of the question. Somehow, despite the storm in his head, he didn't feel any weaker.

In fact, he felt stronger.

The way the Grimm moved, the way they breathed, the way they shifted in the gloom, all of these observations and information that Jaune never before thought were important fired away through his brain like numbers on a monitor. Crocea Mors was drawn in a rather unfamiliar stance, even to him, with his formed shield pressed tightly in front of him, and the blade's hilt held nearly at the side of his head. An oddly professional stance for someone who's never trained before this.

Blake was already on the prowl, swooping over the crowd of Creeps, tearing them apart one by one with quite elaborate moves. Jaune took a breath before charging, throwing all of his strength into a powerful shield-bash straight into an Ursa's gut, sending it flying through the base of a tree, then nearly through another, stopping and turning to ash. Grimm charged in after that, one after another. All of them met their end by Crocea Mors, dodging, weaving, blocking and cutting away with ease.

An ursa swung its heavy paw down near his side. The blonde knight skidded to a halt, allowing the paw and claw glide across his shield, letting sparks rain over him. Sliding under the beast's swipe, he unleashed a flurry of strikes across its chest, leaving red and black lashes, and ended with a swift decapitation, sending its head flying into a bush.

Several creeps sprang after him, five, maybe six at a time. Two powerful sideswipes turned the Grimm into ash, allowing him to use his own momentum to do a powerful spin slash, sending out a powerful shockwave, cutting the rest of them apart. Suddenly, the throbbing stopped, and he was sent tumbling to the ground, completely off balance.

Jaune blinked in confusion. In a instant, all of the skill and finesse that he had earlier had disappeared. The only thing left was a clumsy boy with a sword and sloppily put together armor. A Beowolf sprang out, jumping on top of him, pressing down against his shield. Jaune nearly screamed, trying to push back, keeping the moistened fangs away from his throat. Drool dripped onto his cheek and forehead, and it was just getting closer. The fangs nearly scraped away at the nape of his neck before a black bladed katana stabbed through the back of its head, killing it.

As it faded away to ash, Jaune sat up, cold, winded and nursing that last dull throb in his head. Blake stood over him, offering him her hand. With a small smile, he took it, and hoisted himself up.

"I just… don't even know where to begin with you." Blake managed, shaking her head. "Your a loser, then you're some kind wisecracking cool guy. You don't know how to fight a Beowolf, then dominate several train Atlas guards and then an entire hoard of Grimm." Blake rubbed her temple, exasperated. "Those last few seconds, you fight off an army like a professional, then you slip back to your regular self seconds after. Just… who are you?"

Jaune sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I really wanna tell you, but I just can't. I just don't know. What I do know is that we're attracting a lot of attention out here, and the last thing we need is to be caught blindsided by the Atlas corp. Let's get moving."

Jaune and Blake both went tearing through the forest, keeping a sharp eye out for any Atlas airships. It took a little bit, but they managed to stumble upon a short road, and, luckily, saw quite a large cargo truck heading towards them.

Jaune turned to Blake, then nodded. They both took off towards the truck, leaping at the same time to latch onto its side. Blake landed gracefully, already clutching the outer bars. Jaune nearly skidded off, nearly sliding off the truck. Blake barely grasped onto his sleeve, straining to keep him stable as well as open the cargo door, and shoving him in. She slid in herself, closing the hatch behind her.

The space was surprisingly roomie, with enough space to fit at least two of them. Cargo bounced around occasionally, none really threatening to fall over. The only light poking through was moonlight through the crevices of the cargo door. Jaune leaned into a corner, letting out a shaky breath. "I think we're safe." He managed.

"Possibly." Blake muttered, peeking through the sides. "The cargo's from the looks of things is heading for Tamung, a local town offsides from Vale. Nowhere official, or requiring any border patrol. It's a ten hour drive, so I think we should be fine."

Jaune's head drifted back, leaning it back against the metal frame. "Quite a night, I gotta say." he managed.

"I've had worse." Blake muttered with a yawn. "Listen, if I want to trust you, I need to know you first."

"I hear you." Jaune replied. "We'll take it one step at a time if you need. I'm not gonna rush you into anything."

"I'd like to see you try." Blake said sleepily. Her eyes were drooping. The night had been more impactful on her than she let on.

"Take a nap, Blake, it's pretty much sunrise. We've got a lot of time to kill." Jaune offered.

"No thanks. I don't...I don't-" She stopped to yawn. "I can stay awake longer."

"Blake, you and I both know you're full of it right now. You need sleep more than I do." Blake opened her mouth to protest, but Jaune raised her hand to cut her off. "Don't bother. Think about it, how will you keep this up, you'll be dead on your feet."

"But-"

"Blake, trust me for like ten minutes. Just get some sleep, okay?" Jaune pressed.

Blake sighed, eyelids sliding down. "Fine, but if… anything…" She didn't finish, drifting off to sleep. Jaune smiled at her sleeping away before staring through the cracks of the cargo door, watching the faint traces of sunlight rising.

What a mess he'd gotten himself in. Jaune smiled, shaking his head. "Way to always fight uphill battles, Jaune."

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, and the next one won't come out this late. Please Review!**_


	21. Chapter 21: Destiny Calls (Blake Route)

Solid boots stamped down onto the burnt grass, crushing the dead leaves underfoot with each stride. The steps had a rhythm to them, suggesting a bit of order amidst the chaos. The inhuman roars of the Grimm echoed through the night sky of which was covered in a black sheet of smoke. Red hot flames sprang forth from every single orifice that the small village had to offer. A hazing heat filled the air, choking and strangling the life out of anyone who drew close. The roaring and crackling of the flames overrode all other sounds, even the screams of the pour inhabitants. And yet despite the blazing heat, a young man who hid beneath a small tree shivered.

Fingers coiled into the ash-covered grass, Jaune pressed himself tighter against the bark, eyes tightly shut, trying to ignore the fire licking at his skin. Gunfire crackled thought the skies, bright muzzle flashes lighting up the night. Screams came afterward. The minutes rolled by. One by one, screams died down into wet gurgles, then nothing. He clutched his knees, jaw quivering, eyes closed tightly. After more minutes ran by, the screams died, until there was nothing but dead silence. Not a sound, not even crackling fire. Nothing but footsteps. Footsteps coming directly towards him.

Thud. Thud. Thud. The steady verbatim made Jaune's heart hasten with each step. A shadow loomed overhead, getting bigger and bigger. Out of the shadows stepped a man cloaked in a drenched black coat, hood over his head. Blood caked the coat so thickly that it stuck to his large form, dripping steadily onto the charred grass. Azure eyes gleamed through the darkness of the hood. Jaune pressed himself further against the tree, almost to the point where the bark was starting to snap, fear creeping up his system.

The figure bent down towards Jaune, while he tried to scramble away. There was nowhere to crawl to. Nothing more than a collection of dead, burning trees. Words couldn't escape his throat. Blood from the figures hood dripped onto his cheek. In a slightly higher than he expected voice, the voice spoke to him. "Jaune… please tell me you're still you."

Jaune cocked a brow. "What do you mean?" He gasped.

"Just answer the question." The figure said in a low tone. "You are still you, right? Still Jaune Arc?" There was impatience in his tone, but something else too. Desperation maybe? Fear? That didn't sound right coming from a figure like that.

"I… yeah? I guess." Juane rasped, wiping the drops off of his face. "Just why? What are you? This doesn't make any sense!"

"Just listen. Please." The figure flipped his hood up, blonde, bloodied hair spilling out. Jaune gaped in shock at his own eyes, his own hair, his own face that he was staring at. "Please help me."

The world rumbled around him. Black fire billowed out, casting over everything in sight around him. The heat and pressure were so intense, he shut his eyes. Jaune suddenly felt a sharp sting on his cheek. His eyes snapped open, and the world was still rumbling, no, bouncing more like. Jaune was flat on his back, eyes wide, staring at a metal roof.

"Are you finally awake?" Blake demanded, looking rather miffed. She sat by the cargo door of the truck they stowed away on. "So much for keeping watch."

"Um… sorry?" Jaune said weakly, wiping the sweat off of his brow. That nightmare was intense to say the least, not just from what he saw, but what he felt. Everything felt so real. Dreams always ran from those who drempt. You'd never remember them. But Jaune? Every detail was crystal clear. That fact alone scared him more than anything else. "Hey, uh, I wasn't saying or doing anything while I was sleeping, right?"

"You mean aside from trying to grope me in your sleep?" Blake simply asked. Jaune sucked in a breath. "Yeah, you did that. Don't sweat it. It's not like you were trying to jump me. You would've have survived the attempt." She brushed herself off, and reallined her bow. With the sunlight creeping through the steel door frame.

"Even so, sorry." Jaune muttered, leaning back against the wall, feeling red creep up his face. "So… uh, did I miss anything?"

"No." Blake deadpanned back.

"Oh, okay. Nothing to worry about then. I'll just be over here." Jaune awkwardly said, staring at the floor. Then the awkward silence kicked in. Jaune was no less accustomed to it. Conversations were never his strong suit. Somehow, the craziest, weirdest things would always come out of him, and people generally didn't know how to grasp it, Ruby included. Blake wouldn't even look at him, her mindset permanently stuck in 'mission mode' as he liked to call it. Still, there was no hope in sitting on his hands and waiting for her talk.

"Hey, Blake?" He managed. She didn't even grunt back. One of her cat-ears did twitch in his direction though. "Well, uh… have you… do you… Yeah, I've got nothing. Sorry for wasting your time." This time she did grunt back, then went back to staring at the wall. And on went the silence. Well, time for the last resort. Endlessly stare outside until you find something to talk about. If it worked on his sisters, it should work on a faunus with a hard life, right? "Could you back up a bit? I'm gonna open this thing for a bit. I need some air."

Blake obliged, backing up from the door. Jaune gripped the underside, and forced it open. Wind was flung right in his face, as well as devastatingly bright sunlight. Jaune suddenly lurched forward with a sharp cry, face nearly scraping the open road. Something wrapped around his waist, and hoisted him back up again. Was that Gambol Shroud's ribbon? He looked back to see Blake glaring at him, holding her weapon taught.

"Idiot. Do you know anything about momentum?" She seethed, yanking back onto his rear.

"Clearly not as much as I should." Jaune rasped. "Thanks a bunch."

She nodded back, then went back to her corner, blanking him out. Jaune sat on the edge, legs dangling over the side, heels skidding every so often on the road. Signs past by, with nothing notable to speak about. Insurance deals, realestate billboards, whatever business-type sign or post that demanded more attention than he was willing to give. Nothing interesting to talk about by any means. There was a pets billboard offering toys for dogs and cats. That gave him an idea.

"Hey, Blake, do you ever like playing with toys?" He asked curiously.

"What kind of toys?" She asked, ice in her undertone. Jaune gulped. There was definitely a nip somewhere in there. It didn't take long to figure out why.

"I mean, uh… like dolls, action figures, plushies and such." Jaune said quickly.

"Really? You couldn't have meant pet toys right?" Blake asked, glaring at him.

"No, no, no! That just gave me the idea of something to talk about, I swear! I mean, look at that thing? It just screams the word 'toy', right? Doesn't it to you? I mean, what do you… uh…" Jaune trailed off. Blake stared at him for a bit as if he had gone insane, which at this point, he probably has.

"Jaune, what species are you?" Blake asked with a scoff.

"Something endangered by his own stupidity." He muttered. "What? I'm not good at this. What do you-" The truck suddenly lurched forward, Jaune's quick instincts making him grip the underside to make sure he didn't fly out suddenly. "And we've stopped… that can't be good."

Jaune bit his lip. Did the driver notice the door was open? What if he saw them? They had gone federally rouge at this point. What would they do if he called the cops on them? The very thought of another showdown with the Atlas forces made him sweat. The truck shifted ever so slightly, squeaking a bit, rumbling to a stop. The driver door slammed shut. Jaune swore under his breath, head darting to anywhere he could hide.

Before he knew it, Blake's small, yet strong, hand seized around his hood, and yanked him back. He dangled behind her like a kite, before shoved into a wooden box, with Blake piling over him and slamming the top shut. She planted himself flat against his chest plate, hand flat against Jaune's mouth. All was silent until the driver stepped into the back, making the entire surface wobble. He muttered a few things, walking from box to box, until he reached theirs. Jaune tensed, heart skipping a beat when he made the crate creak.

"How the hell that door opened is beyond me…" The driver muttered angrily. "These damn trunks are older than the gods. I don't get paid enough to keep dealing with this shit." He fiddled with the top of the crate before kicking the bottom with his boot, and leaving, shutting the door behind him. They both waited a tad before speaking again.

"Do you think we're in the clear?" Jaune asked, anxious to get out.

"Probably. Lets try ditching this truck before the driver notices anything else." Blake said, pressing her hands against the crate top. It wouldn't budge. She tried again to no avail. She shook her head with a sigh.

"Oh c'mon!" Jaune whined. "... Is this a bad time to tell you I need to use the bathroom?" Blake groaned, pressing herself against the wall, giving up to the situation.

* * *

Secrets were nothing foreign to Ozpin. Keeping the weight of eternity on your shoulders tended to make you keep your guard up. Even at the risk of hypocrisy. Despite being on of the most powerful men in the world, there was always a crisis, a world ending disaster that he could never stop or prevent. There was always something that creeps under his nose, or goes through his defenses before he can react. It always ends in chaos and death, and there was nothing he could do. That was why he was ready now. He was prepared. He would not lose the world to him again.

The scenery astounded him, despite him seeing it for so many years now. It was a simple clearing in the forest, wide and spacious, grass barely reaching your ankles. There was a lake in the middle, with a quiet, clear waterfall pooling into it. The color and vibrancy got better every time he stepped into this peaceful place, with the colors reflecting off the water, shimmering in the light. A small rainbow curled over the top of the waterfall, adding to its beauty. The old hunter walked slowly to the fall, and dipped his finger inside, letting it trail down his finger.

With his touch, the water's intensity increased, a blue aura radiating from its girth. Along the center, images formed, almost like a transparent screen. Glimmering images of a young man fighting against a demonic, winged Grimm with the face of a fiery jack-o'-lantern. A boy with lengthy blonde hair, striking blue eyes, broken armor, sword and shield. The effort and strain on his face was evident. There was so much fear in his eyes. So much desperation. The scene kept changing while the fight remained the same.

And then, there was always one. That one image that he had to prevent. The image of it trapping the poor man down and pouring its essence into him. Choking him. Corroding him. The whites of his eyes turned black. As the beast flew away, leaving him be, Jaune slowly stood and roared, a black haze pouring from his mouth. Ozpin grimaced, slashing away at the image with his bare hand, with a heavy sigh.

"Another line and nothing changes." The spring rippled as a deep, growling voice came from it. Ozpin stood his ground, glaring at the waterfall.

"This proves nothing. The tide can still be turned. It has happened twice before." Ozpin stated calmly.

"Two lives out of thousands. Can you not see that there is no hope for this boy? No hope for your world one he falls?" The voice rumbled. "I have seen many deaths. Many lives. So many attempts but nothing to show for it."

"But he is starting to remember." Ozpin said, raising his glasses. "Whether it be lingering memories, or events of what's to come, he is starting to notice that not all is quite right with his life. Sooner or later, he will know everything. And when he does, this world will be saved. I am certain."

"At the very least, you are." The voice said. "I, for one, need certainty. I cannot see another future where he will succeed. Whether he does or not is up to him. But fate is not on his side. Know that, Osma." The voice echoed, then ceased, the images fading away to nothing but the waterfall. Ozpin hoped he was right. That he could depend on Jaune. But then again, what choice did he have?

* * *

Well, Jaune couldn't say he's been in tighter spaces before. Being tall became a curse. He was folded up with his back against one side, and his knee against the other, with Blake bent on top of him, her back arched so she wouldn't lean on him. She was clearly straining herself to stay upright. Jaune scoffed. Was he that repulsive to be around? Was it his breath? It's gotta be his breath, right? Too bad he couldn't pack his toothbrush on the run from Johnny Law. "You know, you can relax, right? You're gonna hurt your back staying up there."

Blake sighed, giving up the losing battle against her back, and laid down onto his chest-plate, head at the crook of his neck. At the very least, she had the sense not to tense up and make it worse. The close contact was something strangely nice and inviting. There was that urge to hug her to death creeping around the back of his head. No use acting on it though. He'd get his face clawed off if he even tried. Even so, the way she shifted, the way she breathed, he could feel her trouble, her stress. That fear that everything could go wrong, and she'd lose everything. He wished he could say something to help her. Anything.

But there was nothing. He couldn't hope to relate to her because he'd never been hated, or not accepted. The best he could do was hold her and comfort her until he could find something. But right now, there was one problem on his mind that he had to get off of his chest. "Hey Blake, hypothetically, if you ever had a dream where you burnt down everything you know and love, then looked at yourself and begged for help, what would you think when you woke up."

Blake tilted her head up to face him, brow cocked. "I'd sign myself into a psych ward." She narrowed her eyes. "Why? Do you have something you want to tell me?"

"I just… don't know." Jaune muttered. "I spent years being a complete screw-up at everything. I was just never any good at anything. People hated me for it. But… suddenly, it's like I don't even know myself anymore. I fight like a pro one second, then I'm back to normal the next. I'm getting these weird dreams, seeing different versions of myself in different worlds. Its like… something's calling me, and trying to tell me something."

"Who knows. Maybe." Blake said, shrugging as best a she could. "I have my destiny, you have yours. Maybe your's is calling you in its own way."

"I never did believe in destiny." Jaune said. "It just feels too convenient to blame problems on fate… and are you really trying to try philosophy with me? Jaune Arc, comic book xtrordinair?"

"If men in rags years ago can argue stuff like that, I'm sure you can, Jaune." Blake said, leaning her head back down.

Jaune chuckled. "Maybe… okay, claustrophobia is kicking in. I need out of the damn box." Desperately, he fidgeted and pushed against the box. Blake squeaked as he rubbed up against her. "Oh crap, sorry. There's no room in here."

"I can see that." She hissed, pushing further down onto him, hopefully stopping him from moving. "Look, we might have an hour left of this damn trip. The moment we st-" The entire truck broke to a halt, making Blake fly forward and headbutt Jaune straight in the skull. Both cried out in pain with Blake ending up with a decent sized bruise on her head. "... we've stopped again?"

"Great, where are we now?" Jaune muttered, pressing his ear against the side of the crate instinctively. Absolute silence. Blake froze over him, closing her eyes, finding something to hone in and focus on. A familiar throb in his head drove all focus out of him. He flinched, rubbing his temple. A shaking feeling sunk in. Something was coming. Something dangerous, and that he knew all too well. Then, almost as if an alarm bell rang in his head, he gripped Blake tightly, and brought her close to him, much to her displeasure.

A five pronged white claw tore through the metal truck like a knife through hot butter. The top of the box shattered into splinters, shearing half of the box with it. Bright beams of sunlight peered through the newly made lines in the metal. The hunters in-training didn't waste time. Both of the shambled out of the box, tumbling over each other, cutting through the rest of the destroyed metal scraps, and bashing through the sheets and onto the hard gravel.

Another alarm bell rang in his head. Jaune dropped on top of Blake, flattening her to the road as the claws tore apart the rest of the truck. Flames sprouted out of its front. Swears flew out of Jaune's mouth. He rushed off of Blake, helping her to her feet, and ran to the ditch where they took cover. The truck exploded shortly after, shrapnel and heat flying out rapidly. He peeked his head over the ditch, biting his lip at what he saw.

A bipedal demonic Grimm sat atop the flaming pile of molten, crumpled metal, claws digging bending it under its grasp. Black tar, and blood, dripped in trails from is jack-o-lantern esque face, a black haze spilling out with it. White, boney, bat-like wings spread out in a massive span as it roared, no, shrieked, making Jaune have to cover his ears to try and shut it out. Impaled in its claws was the driver, or what was left of him. The Grimm cast him aside with one swing, throwing the bloody corpse across the road, and into the ditch. Jaune turned away, finger caught in his teeth, biting down to keep his cool.

"What kind of Grimm is that?" Blake rasped, pressing back against the grassy ditch. "I've never seen anything like it."

 _But I have_.

Jaune was prepared to say that, but that would spark more questions than answers. Answers that Jaune didn't have. Where and when he'd seen this thing didn't matter. What mattered now was survival. "I dunno. It just looks like any Grimm. A Grimm that'll pin us down and eat our livers if we don't get going."

"Do you really think we'd be able to hide from this thing? It's got the high ground." Blake muttered, keeping an eye on the Grimm. The area around them at least had enough variety for options. Ahead of them was an open plain, with a lot of room for movement, but nowhere to hide. On the other side of the road was the start of a small forest, leaving a contrast.

"Maybe we should-" Jaune was cut off by a forked tail raking across the dirt, carving a small ridge between them. Dirt and gravel sprayed in a massive spread as the ground tore apart. Instincts took over, making Jaune roll down the ditch, and stumbling into the field, sword drawn. Them moment his feet hit the ground, the Grimm's large scaly hand had already seized around his waist, and lifted him off the ground, bringing it closer to its disgusting face. Fear constricted him more than the Grimm did. The only thing he could manage to say was the first absurd thing that came to his head. "... please don't eat my liver."

The Grimm gave its sickest impersonation of a grin, then flung Jaune over its head with enough force to send him over the ditch, bouncing off the flaming wreck, and back-first into a tree that faltered and cracked. Pain wracked up and down his back, aura working double-time to fix whatever damage was caused. A shadow loomed over him before he could catch his breath. Against his will, his head jerked down hard enough to pop his neck just as the rapier-like talons impaled the bark above him. He barrel rolled out of danger as a rapid spray of bark rained down.

Teeth grit, heart pounding, head rushing, he charged forward, Crocea Mors tight in his hand. The Grimm scythed its arm, claws stretched out. He raised his shield just in time for the claws to bounce off the metal, screeching and letting down a shower of sparks. Using the force to slide to the side, Jaune dragged his sword across its thigh, extruding black mist. Minutes went by as Jaune fought his hardest, rolling, cutting, and blocking as much as he could. There was no headway however. No matter how many times he struck, the Grimm wouldn't quell. Finally, nearly out of aura, and completely exhausted, Jaune's knees buckled at a final it.

The Grimm raised its forked foot, and stomped down onto Jaune's chest-piece, pinning him to the ground and knocking the wind out of him. Weary and gasping, he tried in vain to push the Grimm's foot off as it loomed its head over his. Slowly, a black haze pooled from its mouth, showering over Jaune's face. The mist felt burning hot against his skin, aura protecting him from wounds. Panic and fear started to set in when he was forced to breath it in. He coughed and gagged tasting the rancid haze, his throat burning. His eyes rolled back as the world soon grew faint. The last thing he heard was a short battlecry before the darkness took over.

It was always the strangest things in life that wakes you up. It wasn't the pounding rain against the windowpane, cracking thunder from above, or roaring, whistling wind that woke him up, nor was it the rapid movement and objects crashing onto the floor. No. What ended up waking him up in the end was the little squeak of his companion. The first thought when opening his eyes surprisingly wasn't 'where am I', or 'how did I get here', or even 'how the hell am I even alive'. His first thought was really 'who the hell let a cat in my room?'

The wooden cabin ceiling creaked above him, brown dust raining down every once and awhile. Groggily, he brushed his face, wiping the dust off. Through the window, he noticed it was dark out. As expected, pain wracked his body from various bruises and scratches he got from that Grimm. What he didn't expect was softness under him. Was he in a bed? And now down to the obvious questions, starting off with the loveliest essensial, how the hell was he still alive?

"So, you're finally awake?" Blake said at his side. Jaune tilted his head carefully to see Blake sitting on a stool, staring over him, book in hand, covered in sweat.

"Yeah, I guess s-" Jaune cut himself off, hiding his surprised cry with a cough, looking away, beet red. That look she gave him was priceless, almost demanding why he was acting like she grew a third eye. What was Blake giving him that look for? No shirt. She had no shirt on. White chest bandings protected her from being non-child friendly. What girl would be nearly topless in front of who she thought was a stranger? Did he also mention that those bindings were wet and loose, on the verge of falling off by the strap, and even see-through at some points?

Blake cocked her head in confusion, then looked down and sighed. "The Grimm knocked me out after it sent you flying. When I came too, it was pinning you down, spitting some black mess into your mouth." Jaune gulped, clutching his throat. "I fought back, and it retreated. Then of course, rain came out of nowhere. I dragged you here. Don't ask who owned this cabin. I have no idea."

"And your shirt?" Jaune asked curiously.

"Rain. I didn't want to get a cold. By the way, you're really starting to fill out. I'm impressed." Blake said offhandedly. Jaune's blood ran cold when he looked down. Nothing but a black shirt and boxers. He squealed and draped the blanket back over him, somehow getting even more red. He gulped, burying his head in a pillow in embarrassment.

Blake spent quite a bit staring at the floor, deep in thought. Minutes went by before she spoke again. "You do realize how much danger we're in?" Jaune shrugged. "I have no idea how long we'll be out and about. Everyone's after us. Everyone. We can't trust anyone anymore."

"Yeah, I figured." Jaune said with a sigh. "Could you just remember something for me? Just keep this in mind?" Blake nodded. "Just know that you still have friends and people who love you. Yang's with you all the way, no matter what. I see that in you two. The friendship you have with her is something that I don't think I'll ever have. Ruby, Weiss, their with you too, every step of the way. Please don't forget them." Blake opened her mouth, but Jaune cut her off. "Don't say anything. Just take it in, okay?" She stared at him for a bit, then nodded slowly. "Great… now, I'm curious about that book. What's it about?"

A ghost of a smile slowly appeared on her face. She hip-checked Jaune's shoulder, making him scooch over so she could sit next to him, opening her rather large book in front of him. "Well, it starts off with a girl moving into a new town, where she meets a pale-faced, cold skinned beautiful man…"

Ooh, he just knew this was gonna be a doozy.

* * *

 _ **Alright, down to business... first, I want to apologize. First, laptop crashed, then got a new one for Christmas. I come back to find my entire PM page up in flames. Apparently, a lot of Whiterose and Bumblebee lovers have been Private messaging me speech long stuff to show how deluded I am, insulting me and basically saying my ships are shit. To those doing that, please stop. I respect your ships, you respect mine. That's all I ask. And then, after the latest episode, I got hit again with another truck load of hate mail. It got out of hand and I just lost motivation for a little bit. I'm fine now, I just needed some time.**_

 _ **Anyhow, some good news. Every monthly update will come with an additional one-shot, just little ideas that I have in the mix that I don't want to make into a full story. In addition, I will be making two valentines day one-shots for Lancaster and Blacksun. Review what you think, and anything you want to say. They really help me out. Thanks and goodnight.**_


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